City asks to use Central High gym as weather backup for Fuzik Fest; board seeks protections and logistics

Marino Solorio, park director for the City of East Chicago, told the School City of East Chicago board the city would like to reserve Central High School’s gymnasium as a fallback site for its annual Fuzik Fest concert the first weekend of August. Solorio said the gym would be used only if inclement weather forced the event indoors and that the city would pay a stipend for each day the facility was used.

Solorio described an indoor setup limited to the concert (no food vendors) and said seating would primarily be in bleachers, with a smaller area on the gym floor for VIPs if the board permits. The city said it would provide protective staging, chairs and floor coverings and would follow the fire marshal’s capacity guidance.

Trustees focused on logistics: whether the city would charge for parking, who would provide custodial or cleanup services, and how the district’s back‑to‑school rally the same weekend would be accommodated. The city said it is self‑insured and would add the district as co‑insured on its policy, and it offered to negotiate janitorial compensation or use city crews if needed. The city asked the board to decide quickly so the special‑events team can finalize plans; the board requested a written memorandum of understanding with clear terms on stipend, custodial responsibilities, parking revenue and floor protection.

Next steps: The board did not vote. Administration will follow up with the park department on insurance language, final capacity numbers, a proposed stipend schedule, and whether district maintenance staff would be prioritized for paid cleanup work.