Jill, Roeland, Jaymie and Jordyn Polet v. ESG Security, Inc.

66 N.E.3d 972, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 463, 2016 WL 7469804
CourtIndiana Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 27, 2016
Docket49A02-1510-CT-1631
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 66 N.E.3d 972 (Jill, Roeland, Jaymie and Jordyn Polet v. ESG Security, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Indiana Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jill, Roeland, Jaymie and Jordyn Polet v. ESG Security, Inc., 66 N.E.3d 972, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 463, 2016 WL 7469804 (Ind. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

BROWN, Judge.

[1] Jill, Roeland, Jaymie and Jordyn Polet, et al., appeal the trial court’s grant of a motion for summary judgment filed by ESG Security, Inc. (“ESG”), and raise three issues which we consolidate and restate as whether the trial court properly granted summary judgment in favor of ESG. 1 We affirm. 2

*974 Facts and Procedural History

[2] This appeal arises out of the collapse of the stage at the Indiana State Fair on August 13, 2011. The parties cite to a number of documents related to the agreement between the State Fair and Sugarland, the musical artist scheduled to perform that night. A document titled “SugarLand Production/ Catering/ Technical Rider” states:

III. SECURITY
A. SECURITY GUARDS
Purchaser will provide and pay for professional security guards for protection of Artist, Artist’s band and crew, from Load-In until Load-Out is completed.
B. SECURITY MEETING
It will be necessary to hold a security meeting prior to the opening of the doors to the public. Present at the meeting should be: Venue Representative, Purchaser, Head of Security, Lour Manager and Producer’s Security Representative ....
C. STAGE GUARDS
Purchaser will ensure access to the stage will be guarded by security at all times (with a minimum of 3 security people in front of the stage & 1 on each stage left and right during the performance) and only those persons designated by Producer will be allowed on stage during performance. Security personnel will not be allowed on stage during the performance or in the dressing rooms at any time.
D. OVERNIGHT GUARDS
If the situation requires Artist, band or crew to leave equipment at the venue overnight, security personnel will be needed from the official time the work ends until the official time work begins the following day.
E. MEET AND GREET
2 security guards will be required by the Artists during the Meet and Greet. Please make the specific arrangements for this at the pre-show Security Meeting.
F. VEHICLE GUARDS
Purchaser will be liable for any damage to Artist’s buses or trucks that are attributable to negligence on the part of Purchaser and/or Purchaser’s Representative should such damage occur while said buses or trucks are at the performance promises [sic] during the period from Load-In until Load-Out is completed. If any of the vehicles must be parked away from the backstage entrance, a security person must be on call at the time and place that vehicle is parked.
G. GUARD LOCATION & TIMES
Dressing Rooms Area from Load until Departure
Stage from Doors until Patrons Clear
Mix Position from Doors until Patrons Clear
Backstage Area from Load In until Departure
Video Projection Areas per location from Doors until Patrons Clear

Appellants’ Appendix at 2503-2505. 3

*975 [3] The “2011 Indiana State Fair Commission [] Rider” referenced Sugarland and the concert and provided:

THE TERMS OF THIS ISFC RIDER WILL TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER ANY CONFLICTING TERMS CONTAINED IN THE ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT AND ITS ASSOCIATED RIDERS. THIS RIDER IS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE AS PART OF THE ENGAGEMENT CONTRACT.
9. SECURITY—Indiana State Police provides a large contingent of officers to work during the Fair. There is also a detail of State Police assigned to each of the entertainment facilities; i.e. Pepsi Coliseum and ISF Grandstand. They are familiar with the State Fair audiences and shows, and are most cooperative.

Id. at 2524-2525. 4

[4] A document titled “SugarLand 2011 Tour Contract Rider” provides:

XV. SECURITY
Purchaser is solely responsible for providing security in connection with the Engagement. To this end, Purchaser shall provide and pay for adequate security for the protection of all persons and property in connection with the Engagement including. without limitation, Producer (and respective agents, employees, contractors and equipment) and patrons. The foregoing is in addition to any other security requirements of Producer contained in the attached Artist Production Rider.

Id. at 2539.

[5] The State Fair had no written contract with ESG, but it hired ESG for the purpose of fulfilling the Fair’s security obligations.

[6] The bike racks that formed and created the “Sugar Pit,” an area for patrons in front of the stage, was installed by Indiana State Fair Commission personnel at the request of Sugarland. Id. at 1351. The Sugar Pit had two access points. At approximately 6:30 p.m., Cynthia Hoye, the Executive Director of the Indiana State Fair, called for an opportunity “to get decision-makers together because it appeared” to her that a weather front was coming in close to show time. Id. at 1234. ESG was not asked to attend the meeting nor did it attend. Around 8:00 p.m., the meeting was held, and Director Hoye and the others present decided to delay the concert. Eric Milby then asked Sugarland to delay the show, but Sugarland did not want to do so. After further discussion, Milby went back to Sugarland, again asked for a delay, and then returned to Director Hoye and indicated that Sugarland refused the second request. At no time was ESG consulted in the decision of whether or not to delay the show.

[7] ESG employees were identified by distinctive ESG uniforms, and those who were outside the Sugar Pit. were to see whether anyone was standing on chairs outside the Sugar Pit and that no one was attempting to jump over the bike racks and enter the Sugar Pit. At some point, Stephen Blackburn, an ESG employee, roamed in and out of the Sugar Pit and went into it in order to assist anyone who might have had a question. Blackburn checked tickets of patrons and answered questions of people in the Sugar Pit as to where they could go to smoke or obtain *976 something to drink. Blackburn directed some to an exit where they could go to smoke away from everyone.

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Bluebook (online)
66 N.E.3d 972, 2016 Ind. App. LEXIS 463, 2016 WL 7469804, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jill-roeland-jaymie-and-jordyn-polet-v-esg-security-inc-indctapp-2016.