What started as a Facebook joke to Storm Area 51 now might be a legal matter.
Matty Roberts is the 20-year-old from California who got four million replies to his Facebook post to rush Area 51 to see what kind of research is going on there—aliens and whatnot.
It was a joke.
But Rachel, Nevada, the closest town to the top-secret military base started getting ready for a festival, and Lincoln County officials began spending tax dollars to prepare for what they believe will be thousands of festival-goers.
Very recently, Roberts pulled out and said he is moving the festival to downtown Las Vegas. Roberts and his partner in the festival have connections in the electric dance music scene and had organized festivals before.
Connie West, who owns the Little A'Le'Inn Café in Rachel, says she’s moving forward with plans.
Las Vegas attorney Matt Callister, representing Roberts, has filed a cease and desist letter against West.
Callister says it's not to stop the festival; it's just to make sure West doesn't refer to it as 'AlienStock.' He said Roberts is afraid facilities in Rachel are not adequate enough to deal with thousands of people.
“It is pretty clearly they had worked together to assemble a group of legitimate performers to have a real festival kind of thing up there but they’re doing it all very rapidly when they get up there and realized the inadequacy of what the capacity is there. They became concerned for literally - health, safety, security – you name it,” Callister said.
He added that Roberts has applied for a trademark or copyright for the name, AlienStock, but that it had not been yet approved by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; however, it is clear to him that Roberts and his partner in the venture used the name first.
Callister said they don't have any clear numbers from West about how many camping permits she has sold, but Roberts didn't want people to come to Rachel to find no amenities and no festival, which is why they moved it to downtown.
The attorney said West can do what she likes in Rachel, but she can't use the name "AlieanStock."
Matt Callister, attorney
