More than two years on from Electric Zoo’s disastrous final edition, the liquidation of the Brooklyn Mirage could hurt festival ticket holders’ chances at receiving refunds through class action lawsuits.
In a settlement reached with class action groups last month, former Mirage parent company and Electric Zoo operator Avant Gardner’s Chapter 11 liquidation plan has moved festival refund lawsuits into the bankruptcy claims process, limiting dissatisfied ticket buyers’ eligibility for their share of a $4 million claim, according to a report from Unmixed Magazine.
The settlement designates Electric Zoo refund lawsuits as a class four general unsecured claim, meaning the payout would be shared with other unsecured creditors, such as vendors and former employees. Under the designation, refund-seekers move to the back of the claims line, only to be paid after administrative, secured lenders, DIP financing, and priority claims debts are settled, per Unmixed.
It also limits those eligible for the claim to ticket holders who purchased Electric Zoo tickets for Friday, September 1, or Sunday, September 3, and did not scan their tickets for entry to the festival. All festival ticket holders for Saturday, September 2, are excluded from the claim.
Class action refund-seekers have until this Thursday, March 5, to file an objection to the settlement before the case’s trustee may resolve disputes under the plan without further court hearings or notice. Electric Zoo ticket holders expecting to receive a refund are encouraged to contact their class counsel to confirm how the Brooklyn Mirage liquidation plan affects their claim.
After Avant Gardner purchased Electric Zoo for a reported $15 million in 2022, the festival’s first edition by the NYC nightlife brand canceled its first day without adequate warning, oversold tickets, and turned away paying customers, creating a dangerous situation for attendees.
Under its previous ownership by Avant Gardner, the Brooklyn Mirage closed for a $30 million renovation in October 2024 and has been shuttered ever since, after organizers failed to secure and pass safety inspections in time for its planned reopening in May 2025. Since then, the club fell into further disarray, with Avant Gardner filing for bankruptcy in August and applying for a demolition permit in October.
Last month, FIVE Holdings purchased the Brooklyn Mirage and unveiled plans to reopen the club under the Ibiza-born nightlife brand, Pacha, in June.
Featured image courtesy: Avant Gardner.