Gov. Cooper wants canceled Atlanta music festival to come to North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA — Governor Roy Cooper is advocating for a canceled Atlanta music festival to come to North Carolina.

On Monday, Music Midtown announced it is calling off this year’s festival because of what they called “circumstances beyond our control.”

“We were looking forward to reuniting in September and hope we can all get back to enjoying the festival together again soon,” festival organizers posted on social media.

Music Midtown is a two-day festival held in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park. It was scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 17 to 18. Performers included Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Future, Phoebe Bridgers and Jack White.

In a tweet Tuesday, Cooper nudged organizers to bring festival to the Tar Heel state.

“We’re ready to welcome you to one of our amazing outdoor spaces to help you host a fun and safe festival,” his tweet reads.

Many blame Georgia gun laws for music festival cancellation

Even though festival organizers didn’t give a specific reason for its cancellation, some city and event planners told WSB-TV in Atlanta it’s because the festival couldn’t ban guns in the park.

According to Music Midtown’s website, “weapons or explosives of any kind” are banned for festival attendees. But a 2014 Georgia law allowed people to carry guns on public land. That man at the center of the case argued a botanical garden could not ban weapons, but a judge said they could because it had a long-term lease.

Many wonder if this case applies to Music Midtown.

Sources also told WSB Georgia’s gun debate is just part of the reason why it was canceled.

WSB learned a Georgia man is challenging public events that stop people from carrying weapons in public places. WSB obtained an email from two independent sources that shows the man reaching out to the festival.

“Should any member of your security team accost a legal carrier of weapons and either prevents their entry or ejects them merely because they are lawfully armed, your company could be sued for damages and all associated legal costs, not to mention Live Nation as well,” the email reads in part.

This is not the first time a judge has heard a case like this, WSB reports.

(WATCH BELOW: Bojangles Coliseum without power; future events not expected to be impacted)

Bojangles Coliseum without power; future events not expected to be impacted

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