By Gabe Bullard
Louisville, KY – Churchill Downs Incorporated has dissolved its Churchill Downs Entertainment division and will not host another HullabaLOU music festival next year.
In a press release, the company blamed the poor economy and excessive heat for lackluster attendance at the July festival. About 79 thousand tickets were sold to HullabaLOU, and CDE president Steve Sexton said afterward that the event would return in 2011. Sexton has now resigned his position.
CDE was formed last year to host events such as HullabaLOU and last month's Fork, Cork and Style wine and food festival. Churchill Downs declined further comment on the division's shutdown, but said in a statement that CDE events may return as the economy recovers.