The curious case of the Sunset Junction Festival

So what exactly are the finances for this event? Why were organizers scrounging around for $140,000 to cover this year's fees and unable to cover the $260,000 from last year - despite charging attendees $25 to get in? Who pays the performers? What are vendors charged? What is the relationship between the festival organizers and concert promoter Live Nation, which supposedly agreed to a last-minute $100,000 loan that didn't arrive in time? Were the acts scheduled to appear over the weekend tied to Live Nation? Does event organizer Michael McKinley receive a salary? Who exactly is this McKinley guy? Why was he not on better terms with neighborhood groups that were complaining that the event had gotten out of control? Now that the permit has been denied for this weekend, what happens to the pre-sold tickets? What happens to the vendor fees? Why is the festival website not working (as of Thursday morning)?

Needless to say, there's a lot we don't know about how these folks operate. And aside from a self-serving statement released after the Board of Public Works denied them a permit, they're not talking.

Earlier: Sunset Junction permit denied