Boyz II Men event causes contract controversy

More than a week after the Boyz II Men concert was canceled due to “unforeseen” circumstances, city officials continue to work to get back the $9,500 the city paid to book the group.

City Parks Director Chris Patterson said officials are looking at all avenues to retrieve the money it paid to a booking agent representing the musical group.

“This consumed me all last week,” Patterson said Monday. “We need to get that money back.”

Boyz II Men was to perform at the city’s Fourth of July celebration at the Brownsville Sports Park. However, two days before the scheduled performance, city officials learned the group was unavailable.

Instead, Boyz II Men performed at the Fourth of July celebration in Dublin, Ohio.

A contract between the city of Dublin and Boyz II Men’s booking agent was signed in April, Dublin officials said. Brownsville officials contracted the group in March, Patterson said.

Although Brownsville officials are trying to determine why the city’s contract was not honored since they city booked the group first, the answer may come down to how the booking agencies work: Dublin and Brownsville worked with different booking agencies.

Dublin worked with New York City’s International Creative Management booking agency. Brownsville worked with Grabow Entertainment out of Dallas. The agency also list an address in Beverly Hills, Ca.

However, Bob Grabow, CEO and president of Grabow Entertainment, said he never spoke to Brownsville city officials and never signed a contract for the performance. All booking agent contracts are signed personally by him, Grabow said, adding his company does not work with cities for city events, but rather private events.

According to documents, the contract was signed by a representative out of Houston, who is not associated with Grabow, officials said. Grabow believes someone is fraudulently using his company's name.

Patterson said there are ongoing talks between city officials and the individual, who signed the contract. The city is taking the diplomacy road first. However, if the money is not returned, the city will begin looking at legal options.

“Words are good, but we have to see it,” Patterson said of the refund to the city. “The public wants to know where the money is going to.” The concert would have been taxpayer-funded.

The city later contracted with Kingz -1, formerly the Kumbia Kings, as a replacement for Boyz II Men for the Fourth of July concert.