From the flop in football at the Fano Festival: the revenge (and mysteries) of two Americans of Pesaro

It is one of the most anticipated events of the summer on the Adriatic Riviera. THE’Adriatic Sound Festival (ASF) will recall on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 June up to 20 thousand people at the airport of Fano In the Marche, where only small aircraft have long kicked the track. « A great futuristic show », « the most famous DJ house and techno arrive in the world », guarantees the organization. Resourcefulness, risk, gamble, challenge, football, florid and dark on capital: there is a bit of everything behind the scenes of this international music festival.

The rotating stage

The assembly and set -up works are at full capacity, the large rotating stage inspired by the arch of Augustus and dedicated to house music is almost ready; You can see it from afar, approaching the airport. From 14.30 to 3 in the morning, 28 international DJs will alternate, 65 euros the ticket, 109 the pass two days. The official website, recorded by a small American company (Jrl Projects LLC), announces worldwide names such as Australians Rufus du SolGerman Sven Väth one of the big names of techno, the Americans Curtis Jones aka Green Velvet And Armand Van Helden. Scenographies of Stufish, the London study of architecture for the entertainment that signed the tour of the Rolling Stones, Madonna, Lady Gaga etc.; involved in highly experienced musical managers such as Marco Marchesi who says: « An event with enormous potential and which we are also talked about in the United States ».

No precedents

They organize, with the blessing and the three -year convention of the Municipality of Fano, two Americans residing in Pesaro: Robert Lewis 61 years old, maritime lawyer, married to a Pesaro, former co-president of Cesena Calcio and his son Luca25 years old, former professional goalkeeper of Cesena (with his father president) and now « artistic director » of the festival. Except that before this they had never organized any show. Nor their Italian society, institutional and legal counterpart in the complex authorizations and accreditation procedures: it is the Istap srl, created a year ago with a capital of 10 thousand euros, an administrator without any management experience and a single business created so far, the purchase of shares of a football Serie D club.

The president and the goalkeeper

It was December 2021 when Robert Lewis and the businessman of Italian origins John Aiello They announced the purchase of Cesena, then in Club in Serie C (today it is in B). The shares was the Jrl Investment Partners LLC, the Delaware company. The management of Cesena was entrusted to Lewis Co-President and CEO. Smiles, pats on the shoulders, but then two budgets arrive in red for a total of 8 million and insistent voices of too master management. Lewis is « exonerated » by Aiello without many thanks, as is done with an employee and not with the co -owner. You can see that there were very few shares in Lewis in Delaware, 3% according to the news circulated. The fans still today remember with horror the performance of those who for a while were the goalkeeper: the President of the President.

The adventure in Serie D

Closed with Cesena, Lewis bought the majority of the Vigor SenigalliaClub in Serie D. A few months and then was ousted by minority members on charges of default. He denies: I left – he claimed – for divergences of vision on the management of the company. On the other hand, it is assumed that the figures at stake were appropriate to the category, therefore very modest.

The proposal to the Municipality of Fano

Outside Cesena, exiled from Senigallia, the American lawyer has already thrown himself on the Festival. Indeed, he forwards his son who no longer finds engagement in professional football. Luca Lewis launches the proposal to the Municipality of Fano: do we make a nice international music festival in the airport area? We put the money you give us the area. The doors of the Town Hall open up and here we are on the threshold of an event that promises to be a great success and a sort of revenge for the two American enterprising (with Italian citizenship).

Who puts the money into it?

But who put Mr. Lewis money on us? Sitting in the airport restaurant, he is following the progress of the work. He says that a million was spent only to engage the 28 musical guests and that the convention with the Municipality is three years, therefore the business plan (cost-cope) must also be read in this perspective. The 2025 budget is around 2.5 million, drastically reduced compared to the October forecasts (6 million with 40 thousand presences). From the tickets it will come, if it’s okay, just over a million.

Unknown heritage

The Italian Istap company, which has the ownership and legal liability of the ASF, is controlled by the Istap Global of Miami which belongs to the Jrl Projects always in Florida and is connected to the address of an Italian -American entrepreneur, Davide watches once also interested in entering Cesena. Peculiar characteristics of this financial archipelago: recently created, no budget, no evidence of other operations or assets in wallet. The contracts with the artists are signed by another Florida company, the Adriatic Sound Festival LLC and inside – according to Lewis – Friends investors would have entered. Who? « It is reserved. » It seems that even the common dealer knows it.

All « reserved »

« I was appointed by the President of the Region – Lewis stressed – Representative of the Marche in the USA ». More reason to clarify capital. Jrl Projects is the family safe (empty?). What business do you have Mr. Lewis inside? « We sold the investment portfolio to a fund in 2018. » Which fund? « Reserved ». How much did you collect? « Reserved ». And which companies did you sell? « Reserved ». In his LinkedIn profile we read that « he represented the interests of several European ministries in numerous international commercial transactions ». What ministries, which transactions and when, Mister Lewis? « Reserved ». However, for the Adriatic Sound Festival everything proceeds great.