Item 1A. Risk Factors
Risk Factors
General Risks Related to Venu
Venu will require additional capital to support its business plan and potential growth, and this capital might not be available on favorable terms, or at all.
Venu’s operations will require substantial additional financial, operational, and managerial resources. Venu may have insufficient cash to fund its working capital or other capital requirements and may be required to raise additional funds to continue or expand its operations. If Venu is required to obtain additional funding in the future, it may have to seek debt financing or obtain additional equity capital. Additional capital may not be available to Venu or may only be available on terms that adversely affect existing shareholders or restrict Company operations. For example, if Venu raises additional funds through issuances of equity, its existing shareholders could suffer significant dilution and any new equity securities issued by Venu could have rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those of existing shareholders. There can be no assurance that financing will be available to Venu on reasonable terms, if at all. The inability to raise additional funds will materially impair Venu’s ability to grow its revenues. Further, as a result of the ongoing volatility of the global markets, a general tightening of lending standards, and a general decrease in equity financing (and similar type) transactions, it could be difficult for Venu to obtain funding to allow Venu to continue to develop and implement its business.
Venu has incurred net losses and anticipates that it will continue to incur net losses for the near-term future and may never achieve profitability.
Venu is a hospitality and entertainment business that was formed in 2017. Venu is continuing to implement its business plan of opening, and operating restaurants, venues and amphitheaters in new markets. Venu’s business plan is speculative as the development of its venues entails substantial upfront capital expenditures and the risk that the development and opening of its venues may be delayed or otherwise prove not to perform as projected. Although Venu has generated increasing revenues since its inception, to date Venu has not been profitable and has incurred net losses in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025. Venu expects to continue to spend significant resources to develop, open, and then operate its planned restaurants, venues, and amphitheaters. As a result, Venu expects that it will incur an operating loss until these venues are open and operating. Venu may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays and other unknown factors that may adversely affect its business. The size of Venu’s future net losses (if any) and its ability to generate a profit will depend, in part, on the rate of future growth of expenses and its ability to generate additional revenues. It is possible Venu may never be and, if it does , Venu may not be to sustain or increase on a quarterly or annual basis.
Venu had an accumulated deficit of $91,407,702 and $47,361,208 as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and incurred net losses of $50,735,855 and $32,948,974 for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. These conditions raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern; however, based on management’s plan to add additional venue locations and continue its business operations, Venu believes that such substantial doubt has been alleviated. Venu believes that cash on hand, anticipated improved profitability in 2026 from operating venues and restaurants in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Gainesville, Georgia, the full season of operations of Ford Amphitheater in 2026, including Roth’s Sea & Steak and Brohan’s, the anticipated opening of The Sunset BA in the fall of 2026, and additional capital raising and debt financing, including the issuance of Series B Preferred Shares in January 2026 and a public offering completed in March 2026, will allow the Company to continue its business operations for at least 12 months from the date of this Annual Report. Nonetheless, the Venu’s continued implementation of its business plan to add additional locations is dependent on its future engagement in strategic locations, real estate transactions, capital raising, and debt financing. There is no guarantee that Venu will be to execute on these plans as laid out above. If Venu is to enter into strategic transactions, Venu may be required to its business plan implementation for future expansion, which would have a material impact on Venu’s growth plan.
Venu’s business plan is based on numerous assumptions and estimates that may not prove accurate.
When evaluating where and when to attempt to open new venues Venu has to evaluate and make assumptions regarding potential demand in a given market and location, and the ability to attract events and acts to its venues. Venu needs to make estimates and forecasts regarding numerous factors, such as the number of events that can be booked into a particular venue in a particular market, average attendance at these events, potential partnership revenue, likely ticket prices operating costs, and other potential revenue streams (such as parking). Venu makes these evaluations and estimates based on a variety of factors including industry and market data, as well as its experience to date. Estimates regarding the number and timing of future venue openings are based on various factors, such as the status of projects under construction, the entitlement status for certain projects, and discussions and negotiations with various municipalities. These estimates and assumptions are limited by, among other things, the fact that any data and estimates Venu has, or will utilize, for its projects are based on other venues, projects, and circumstances, and as with all modeling and forecasts, these other venues, projects, and circumstances may not exactly correlate with the venues Venu is, and plans, to develop. These estimates and assumptions are not an assurance that Venu will achieve any certain revenue targets with respect to a venue or when and whether a particular venue will be in operation, as the opening of music, live entertainment venues, restaurants and campuses are subject to numerous risks, and uncertainties, many of which are out of Venu’s control. As a result, Venu’s business plan is based on numerous assumptions and estimates that Venu believes are reasonable, but which may prove to be . No assurance can be given regarding Venu’s ability to open a particular venue or execute on all facets of its plans, or whether any particular venue or campus will ultimately prove to be for Venu or the reliability of the assumptions and estimates upon which various aspects of Venu’s business plan are based. Venu’s ability to adhere to and implement its business plan will depend upon Venu’s ability to raise funds and a variety of other factors, many of which are beyond Venu’s control.
Venu’s debt obligations may adversely affect cash flow and impose restrictions on Venu’s ability to operate its business.
Venu from time to time utilizes credit and debt facilities in its operations and to acquire assets. As of March 31, 2026, Venu had $68,133,452 of outstanding indebtedness, primarily under mortgage loans, a draw down term loan, and loans to municipalities in connection with land acquisitions. For example, certain of the real property assets owned by certain of Venu’s subsidiaries are subject to a mortgage, including the two properties that are owned by Hospitality Income & Asset, LLC, which are the sites of Venu’s BBST restaurant and BBP live music venue in Colorado Springs. Venu’s indebtedness could have significant adverse effects on the Company, including with respect to the following:
Venu must use a portion of its cash flow from operations to pay interest on debt obligations, which will reduce the funds available to use for operations and other purposes including other financial obligations;
Certain of Venu’s debt obligations are secured by significant company assets, including the real property on which the BBP CO and BBST CO sit in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the BBP GA and BBST GA sit in Gainesville, Georgia;
Venu’s ability to obtain additional financing for working capital, capital expenditures, strategic acquisitions or general corporate purposes may be impaired; and
Venu may be more vulnerable to economic downturns and adverse developments in its business.
Venu expects to obtain the funds to pay its day-to-day expenses and to repay its indebtedness primarily from its operations. Venu’s ability to meet expenses and make these payments therefore depends on its future performance, which will be affected by financial, business, economic and other factors, many of which the Company cannot control. Venu’s business may not generate sufficient cash flow from operations in the future, and its currently anticipated growth in revenues and cash flow may not be realized, either or both of which could result in the Company being unable to repay indebtedness, or to fund other liquidity needs. If Venu does not have enough funds, it may be in breach of debt covenants and/or be required to refinance all or part of its then existing debt, sell assets or borrow more funds, which Venu may not be able to accomplish on terms favorable to the Company, or at all. In addition, the terms of existing or future debt agreements may restrict Venu from pursuing any of these alternatives. If Venu defaults on its obligations, that could lead the lender to foreclose and Venu could lose its investment in the applicable asset.
Venu faces risks related to material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and there are inherent limitations on the effectiveness of the controls and procedures that it implements. Venu’s failure to remediate such material weaknesses could adversely affect its ability to report its financial condition and results of operations in a timely and accurate manner.
Venu is subject to various SEC reporting and other regulatory requirements. Effective internal controls over financial reporting are necessary for Venu to provide reliable financial reports and, together with adequate disclosure controls and procedures, are designed to prevent fraud and material errors in transactions and to fairly present financial statements. Any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in their implementation, could cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations.
As of December 31, 2025, Venu’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of Venu’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) and concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to material weaknesses in Venu’s internal control over financial reporting. Venu had limited accounting and finance personnel, which impacted its ability to properly segregate duties relating to Venu’s internal controls over financial reporting. In addition, Venu’s financial close process was not sufficient. While Venu has processes to identify and appropriately apply applicable accounting requirements, Venu plans to continue to enhance its systems, processes, and human capital resources with respect to its accounting and finance functions. The elements of Venu’s remediation plan can only be accomplished over time with the addition of experienced accounting and finance employees and, where necessary, external consultants, and with the implementation of enhanced accounting systems and financial close processes.
Over the past year, Venu has strengthened its accounting and finance team, implemented enhanced systems, and continued to refine and evaluate the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. However, there can be no assurance that these efforts will successfully remediate the identified material weaknesses. If Venu is unable to complete its remediation efforts or conclude that its internal controls are effective, its operating results, financial position, stock price, and ability to accurately report financial results and timely file SEC reports could be adversely affected.
Venu’s management, including the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, believes that disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting are designed to provide reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and are effective at the reasonable assurance level. However, management does not expect that the disclosure controls and procedures or the internal control over financial reporting will prevent or detect all errors and all fraud. A control system, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met. Because of the inherent limitations in all control systems, no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within a company have been detected. The design of any system of controls also is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions. Over time, controls may become because of changes in conditions, or the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may . Because of the inherent in a cost- control system, due to or may occur and not be detected. If Venu is to provide reliable and timely financial reports in the future, its business and reputation may be . in internal controls may also cause Venu to to meet reporting obligations, affect investor and customer confidence in Venu’s management, or result in publicity and from investors and customers, any of which could have a effect on the price of Venu’s Common Stock, subject Venu to regulatory , potential , or stockholder , and have a material impact on Venu’s business and financial condition.
Certain subsidiaries of Venu that own, or are expected to own, key real property assets are not wholly owned, and as a result, third parties have rights in certain assets and operations of those subsidiaries.
Venu holds certain of its real property assets and projects in limited liability companies that are not wholly owned, with third parties, in certain cases owning a membership interest greater than 50%. For example, Venu’s membership interest in The Sunset Amphitheater LLC (which owns Ford Amphitheater) is approximately 14%, however, the governing document for this entity provides that the equity held by third-party investors does not afford those members with voting rights. In addition, the governing documents for The Sunset Amphitheater LLC provide that in the case of distributions of available cash resulting from events held at the venue, the third-party investors are only entitled to receive a defined portion of that distribution. As such, the economic rights of those third-party investors are not necessarily equivalent to their ownership interest. In connection with their membership interests, third-party investors are typically afforded certain other rights, such as rights to use the Luxe FireSuites located at planned multi-seasonal amphitheater venues. Venu has, and expects to have, third-party investors hold non-voting interests in other subsidiaries, such as Sunset at Broken Arrow, LLC, Sunset at McKinney, LLC, Sunset at El Paso, LLC, Sunset at Houston in Webster, LLC, and Hall at Centennial LLC, in each case subject to terms that are similar in nature to those in the governing documents of The Sunset Amphitheater LLC. As a result of these subsidiaries being less than wholly owned, a portion of the revenues or other value generated by the operations and assets of the applicable subsidiaries will be for the of third parties and not for the of, or distributed to, Venu. In addition, owning and operating assets through subsidiaries that are not wholly owned inherently raises other risks, such as an increased potential for decision-making with minority owners, control over the subsidiary’s operations, increased likelihood of shareholder misalignment regarding the subsidiary’s operational strategies and priorities, dilution of financial returns, and increased governance complexity. Whether or not Venu holds a majority interest or maintain voting and operational control in such arrangements, third-party members and stakeholders may, for example, (1) have economic or business interests or objectives that are with or to those of Venu; (2) regardless of the terms of the governing documents of the subsidiary attempt to, or to, seek to block or actions that Venu believes are in its and the subsidiary’s interests; (3) act to Venu policies or objectives; or (4) be or to fulfill or comply any obligations or restrictions related to their rights to utilize certain assets (such as suites). For an overview of Venu’s economic versus ownership interests in each of its subsidiaries, see “Business – Venu’s Subsidiaries and Properties.”
The agreements specifying the terms of Venu’s public-private partnerships with local municipalities impose various conditions, obligations, restrictions, and covenants related to Venu’s ownership, use, development, and operation of the properties it acquires and the venues it constructs. Venu’s failure to comply with such restrictions could subject Venu to various consequences, ranging from the payment of monetary fees to the clawback of purchased property, any of which could have a materially adverse impact on Venu’s business and financial condition.
One of Venu’s key business-expansion strategies is forming public-private partnerships with local municipalities to acquire land at lower prices and on better terms than Venu likely could have negotiated in open-market sales or to obtain financial incentives that offset the costs of constructing and operating new venues. In exchange for the financial benefits that motivate Venu’s property acquisition and venue development within a given municipality, the agreements specifying the terms of Venu’s public-private partnership with the municipality, which may include development, parking, facilities-use, or similar agreements, often contain conditions, obligations, and covenants (collectively, “ Restrictions ”) related to the financial incentives for a project and that restrict Venu’s ownership, use, and development of the land it acquires and the venues it constructs and operates and imposes potential monetary penalties on Venu if certain milestones are not achieved. Venu’s failure to comply with any Restrictions could pose a material risk to Venu’s financial condition and business operations. The Restrictions described below are among the Restrictions that have been included in the terms of public-private partnerships Venu has entered into to date and also depicts the type of Restrictions that Venu may be subject to under future public-private partnerships it enters.
Project Deadlines and Monetary Penalties : The Restrictions in the public-private partnership agreements to date have included, and in the future will likely impose, specific deadlines and milestones that, if not met, subject Venu to monetary penalties. By way of example, pursuant to the agreement between Sunset at Broken Arrow LLC (“ Sunset BA ”), one of Venu’s subsidiaries, and the City of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (“ Broken Arrow ”), Sunset BA was required to complete the amphitheater’s construction by December 31, 2025, subject to certain conditions and exceptions. If the amphitheater was not fully constructed by December 31, 2025, Sunset BA was to pay Broken Arrow $10,000 per month for each month in which construction of the amphitheater remains incomplete. However, the Development Agreement was amended to change the required completion date to November 31, 2026. Similarly, the terms of the public-private partnership agreements with the City of McKinney, Texas (“ McKinney ”) entered into in March 2024 related to a planned open-air amphitheater and entertainment complex (the “ McKinney Complex ”) in McKinney imposed a $250,000 termination fee on Venu if Venu were to close on the property acquisition within 30 days of the date of entitlement (“ Entitlement ”) and impose fees on Venu if it does not obtain a temporary certificate of occupancy within 36 months of Entitlement and a final certificate of occupancy within 42 months of Entitlement.
Conditions Related to Public Financing Incentives : Project financing under the public-private partnership arrangements imposes various restrictions and obligations on Venu in order to receive certain public accommodations and financial incentives. For example, in connection with the public-private partnership of GA HIA, a subsidiary of Venu, with the City of Gainesville, Georgia (“ Gainesville ”) and the Gainesville Redevelopment Authority, GA HIA was approved to participate in Gainesville’s tax-allocation district redevelopment program (the “ TAD Program ”). GA HIA’s continued receipt of financial incentives and benefits through the TAD Program is conditioned on its maintenance of the applicable projects as tourism attractions used for the operation of a restaurant and entertainment venue and its ongoing compliance with both the applicable TAD Development Agreement and any loan agreements entered into to finance construction of the projects. Similarly, the public-private partnership between Sunset BA and the City of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma contemplates that the Broken Arrow Economic Development Authority (“ BAEDA ”) will issue tax-apportionment bonds and notes (“ TIF Notes ”) and will use the proceeds of the TIF Notes to fund approximately $17.81 million of project-site improvements that are required for the construction and operation of The Sunset BA and to pay for certain other project costs described in the project plan. If Sunset BA is unable to operate The Sunset BA in a manner that generates sufficient tax increment revenue to pay the TIF Bonds issued BAEDA to fund the project-site , BAEDA will be to pay for the project-site or the project costs contemplated in the project plan, causing Sunset BA not to receive the of one of the material financial incentives that induced its entry into the public-private partnership.
Operating Covenants and Monetary Penalties : The Restrictions to date have included, or in the future will likely include obligations that require Venu to operate the venues in certain manners or to host a minimum number of events per year at a given venue. For example, Sunset BA must host a minimum of 45 scheduled events at The Sunset BA amphitheater each calendar year and may be subject to monetary penalties if it is unable to do so. Similarly, once construction of the McKinney Complex is complete, Venu is required to present at least 45 commercial events per year at The Sunset McKinney amphitheater. Venu or its operator must pay McKinney a ticket fee equal to $1.00 per manifested ticket sold. If Venu hosts at least 45 commercial events annually, with a paid attendance of at least 400,000 manifested tickets annually, McKinney or a related party will pay Venu certain financial incentives and contributions all of which will not be paid, and will be subject to repayment through subsequent-year reductions, in any year in which less than 45 commercial events are held. Accordingly, Venu faces the risk that it will not receive the material financial incentives that partly induced its entry into the public-private partnership with McKinney if it fails to meet the 45-event requirement each year.
Risks Related to Venu’s Industry and Current and Planned Operations
Venu’s ability to open new amphitheaters and venues on schedule and in accordance with targets may be adversely affected by delays or problems associated with acquisition and construction delays, and by other factors, some of which are beyond Venu’s control and the timing of which is difficult to forecast accurately.
Venu’s goal is to open additional venues through 2030 and beyond. To achieve that goal, Venu, or a subsidiary, must successfully acquire the underlying land or satisfy all conditions to close on its land acquisitions, and then, among other things, oversee the construction of the improvements and build-out of those locations. Venu may not accurately predict the timing or ultimate success of its ability to timely open its proposed new venues. Delays encountered in negotiating, or the inability to finalize to Venu’s satisfaction, the development and installation of any necessary improvements may cause a significant variance in Venu’s financial targets. In addition, Venu’s anticipated schedule for opening any new venue may be adversely affected by other factors, some or all of which are beyond Venu’s control, including but not limited to the following:
The availability of adequate financing;
Delays in acquiring land and property rights;
The ability to secure governmental approvals and permits, including land-use approvals, building and operating permits, and any necessary licenses;
The ability to successfully and timely construct the applicable buildings and facilities;
Construction and development costs;
Costs overruns;
Labor shortages;
Any unforeseen engineering or environmental problems with venue location(s);
The resolution of any litigation or other regulatory proceedings that could serve to prolong the development or opening of any venue or facility, such as compliance with local noise ordinances, and complaints and concerns raised by local property owners;
The ability to hire, train, and retain sufficient personnel;
The ability to successfully promote the new venues and compete in the market(s) in which they will operate;
Criminal activity that affects Venu’s development and operations of venues;
Weather conditions or natural disasters; and
Local and general economic conditions.
Venu’s inability to open The Sunset BA by the end of 2026 and other venues according to their anticipated timelines would adversely affect Venu’s projected results of operations and financial condition.
The success of Venu’s amphitheater and venue projects depends on the popularity of guest experiences at those venues, as well as Venu’s ability to attract advertisers, marketing partners, operating partners, audiences, and artists to concerts or other events at those locations. If The Sunset Amphitheater and other venues owned by Venu do not appeal to customers, or if Venu is unable to attract advertisers and marketing partners, there will be a material negative effect on the Company’s business and results of operations.
The financial results of Venu planned amphitheater venues are largely dependent on the popularity of visitor experiences at The Sunset Amphitheater(s), which are intended to provide a high-end experience to visitors. Venu has marketed its venues as being distinct from other amphitheaters and venues, and there is an inherent risk that Venu may be unable to achieve the level of success appropriate for the significant investment involved. Fan and consumer tastes also change frequently, and it is a challenge to anticipate what will be successful at any point in time. Should the popularity of Venu’s Sunset Amphitheater venues not meet expectations, Venu’s revenues from ticket sales, and concession and merchandise sales would be adversely affected, and the Company might not be able to replace the lost revenue with revenues from other sources. As a result of any of the foregoing, Venu may not be able to generate sufficient revenues to cover its costs, which could impact its business and results of operations and the price of the Company’s Common Stock.
Additionally, Venu’s amphitheater and entertainment venue focused business is dependent on its ability to attract advertisers and marketing partners to its signage, digital advertising, and partnership offerings. Advertising revenues depend on a number of factors, such as the reach and popularity of Venu’s venue(s) (including risks around consumer reactions to advertisers and marketing partners), the health of the economy in the markets in which Venu’s venues are located and in the nation as a whole, general economic trends in the advertising industry and competition with respect to such offerings. Should the popularity of Venu’s advertising assets not meet expectations, its revenues would be adversely affected, and Venu might not be able to replace the lost revenue with revenues from other sources, which could adversely impact its business and results of operations and the price of its Common Stock.
The success of Venu’s amphitheater and entertainment venue focused business will also depend upon its ability to offer and attract live entertainment that is popular with guests. While the Company believes that its venues will enable new experiences for audiences in its markets, there can be no assurance that guests, artists, promoters, advertisers, and marketing partners will embrace the Company’s venues. Venu facilities will contract with promoters and others to provide performers and events at its venues. There may be a limited number of popular artists, groups or events that are willing to take advantage of the immersive experiences and next generation technologies (which cannot be re-used in other venues) or that can attract audiences to the Sunset Amphitheater venues, and Venu’s business would suffer to the extent that that it is unable to attract such artists, groups and events willing to perform at its venues.
Venu’s construction of its first outdoor amphitheater project in Colorado Springs required, and future amphitheater facilities that Venu intends to open will require, significant capital investments by Venu with no assurance that the venues will be successful.
Venu is progressing with its venue strategy to create, build, and own new music and entertainment-focused multi-seasonal amphitheater venues — its Sunset Amphitheater collection. There is no assurance that this initiative will be successful. Venu completed construction of its first Sunset Amphitheater in Colorado Springs in August 2024 and intends to open additional venues in Oklahoma and Texas. The costs to develop and then build Sunset Amphitheaters are substantial and substantially in excess of currently available funds. For example, Venu has committed $70 million of private investments to the construction of The Sunset BA, which will require Venu directly, or indirectly through a subsidiary that will own the venue, to seek and execute on one or more outside sources of capital, as Venu’s current cash flows and resources alone likely would not support a development of this magnitude. There is no assurance that Venu will ultimately be able to secure outside capital that will be necessary to fund various of its planned projects and developments. Any inability to raise outside capital timely, or at all, could delay the development and opening of planned venues, or lead to their termination either by Venu or the applicable municipality or counter party.
In addition, it is always difficult to provide a definitive construction cost estimate for large-scale construction projects. Venu’s estimates and projections with respect to opening dates, cost estimates, event scheduling, or other matters inherent in the development and ownership of amphitheater venues may not prove wholly accurate as it rolls out additional venue projects across varying markets. In light of the design of The Sunset Amphitheater collection, including the use of technologies and features that are associated with many entertainment venues, the risk of delays and higher than anticipated costs are elevated. Although Venu completed construction of Ford Amphitheater in August 2024, Venu may face unexpected project delays and other complications with respect to the operation of other projects planned for development.
Venu has not finalized certain plans and specifications for many of its proposed new venue locations, and as a result Venu’s costs may be higher than anticipated, resulting in possible additional capital requirements, additional debt, or less favorable operating results than projected.
Planning for the design and construction of Venu’s in-development or future Bourbon Brothers Presents, Bourbon Brothers Smokehouse & Tavern, and The Sunset Amphitheater venue locations are ongoing. Until the final planning and development for each venue is complete, any cost estimates contained in Venu’s budget are subject to change. Since the Company’s development costs have not yet been finalized for many of its ongoing and planned projects, Venu may require additional capital in the form of shareholder contributions, additional debt or equity financing, or both. If Venu’s costs are higher than projected, the operating results contained in the Company’s projections may be less favorable.
Venu may suffer project delays, increased costs, and financial losses if city councils or other local governmental bodies oppose Venu’s land-purchase and venue-construction proposals or reject purchase and development agreements that Venu has negotiated with other regulatory bodies within a given city.
Venu’s business model involves entering into public-private partnerships with local municipalities that offer various financial and tax incentives to Venu in exchange for Venu’s agreement to construct a venue in the city. These partnerships may require approval from several levels of local government, including local city councils that may have the authority to vote on and approve or oppose our proposed land purchases and venue-construction projects. In some cases, we may negotiate with one local regulatory body and enter into a binding purchase and sale agreement that makes the closing of our land purchase contingent on receiving the local city council’s final approval. Similarly, we may enter into operating or development agreements with other third parties that include city-council approval as a condition precedent. Despite having a purchase agreement in place and having received the approval of another local governmental body, there is a risk that the local city council may vote down our purchase and construction proposals or binding agreements. That could occur due to changes in political priorities, public opposition, a misalignment between local regulatory bodies in their strategic objectives for a city, or other factors beyond our control. This risk was exemplified by our attempted purchase of land in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in June 2023, when we entered into a binding purchase and sale agreement with the Oklahoma City Planning Commission that was ultimately by local city council.
The rejection by a local city council of our proposed land acquisition or construction plan could result in significant project delays and increased costs as we attempt to address the city council’s concerns, negotiate alternative arrangements, or pursue the purchase of other land. Such a rejection could also lead to a loss of our investment in the preliminary stages of development, including the planning and design process. While we strive to mitigate this risk by engaging with local governmental officials early on when attempting to expand our operations to a new city, conducting thorough due diligence of the properties we are evaluating for purchase, and negotiating contractual protections to minimize any financial losses or penalties we would incur if our contemplated purchase of land or venue construction is opposed by a local city council, we cannot predict how a city council will vote, and we cannot assure that we will be successfully in overcoming any such .
Potential development and construction delays could cause Venu’s estimate of future income, expenses, and development costs to be inaccurate.
Venu has fully developed and constructed each of its operating or under construction venues to date and expects to do so for its planned new projects. Properties that require development and construction involve more risk than other properties, typically do not generate operating revenue while costs are incurred to develop the properties, and may also generate certain expenses such as property taxes and insurance costs. In addition, market conditions may change during the course of development that may make the plan of development less attractive than at the time it was conceived. Development activities include the risks that such projects may be abandoned after expending capital and other resources, the construction costs of such projects may exceed original estimates, and the construction of a property may not be completed on schedule. Development activities are also subject to risks relating to the inability to obtain, and delays in obtaining, all necessary entitlement, zoning, land-use, building, occupancy, and other required governmental permits and authorizations. Delays in construction will delay the opening of new venues. Management’s estimate of future income, expenses, and development costs may prove to be inaccurate. Contingencies in development activities beyond the control of Venu may occur.
The success of Venu’s business operations depends in part on its ability to acquire, develop, lease, and maintain live-music venues, and if it is unable to do so on acceptable terms, or at all, its results of operations could be adversely affected.
The Company’s business requires access to venues to generate revenue from live music concerts and other events. The Company has entered into a number of leasing and operating agreements for its venues. If the Company is unable to renew these agreements or to obtain new agreements on favorable, acceptable terms that are compatible with the Company’s existing operations, the Company’s operations may be negatively impacted.
The Company’s ability to continue expanding its operations through the development of new, and the expansion of existing, live music venues and restaurants is subject to a number of risks, including that (i) the construction of live music venues may result in cost overruns, delays, or unanticipated expenses; (ii) desirable sites for music venues may be unavailable or too costly; and (iii) the attractiveness of our existing venue locations may deteriorate over time. Growing or maintaining the Company’s existing revenue depends in part on making consistent investments in its venues. To meet long-term, increasing demand, improve value, and grow revenue, the Company may have several capital-improvement projects underway at any given time. Numerous factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, may influence the ultimate costs and timing of various capital improvements.
The amount of capital expenditures can vary significantly from year to year. In addition, actual costs could vary materially from the Company’s estimates if its assumptions about the quality of materials, equipment, or workmanship required or the cost of financing such expenditures were to change. Construction is also subject to governmental permitting processes, which, if modified, could materially affect the Company’s ultimate costs.
Additionally, the market potential of the Company’s live music venues, concerts, and restaurants cannot be precisely determined. The Company may face competition in markets from unexpected sources. Because of that competition, the Company may be unable to add to or maintain its collection of live music venues and concert and restaurant offerings on terms it considers acceptable.
Venu’s reliance on third-party operators to manage and operate Ford Amphitheater and future amphitheater locations exposes Venu to risks, including profit sharing, limited operational control, non-compete restrictions, indemnification obligations, and potential disruptions from the termination or renewal of operating agreements.
We rely, or may rely, on third-party operators to manage and operate certain of our live-music and entertainment venues. For example, Venu partnered with AEG Presents to operate Ford Amphitheater in Colorado and with Live Nation to operate The Sunset McKinney in McKinney, Texas, in each case pursuant to an exclusive operating agreement. Our agreements with third-party operators typically include provisions regarding the sharing of profits, indemnification requirements, non-compete restrictions, and other limitations on our control over the venue’s operations. As a result, our reliance on third-party operators subjects us to certain unique risks.
Our profitability from venues for which we use a third-party operator depends, in part, on the operator’s performance and success. Any failure by an operator to effectively operate our venue may negatively impact on our ticket sales and financial results. Any requirement to share profits with a third-party operator may limit our realization of the full financial benefits of our venues.
The use of third-party operators also inherently reduces Venu’s operational control over a venue and may impair Venu’s expansion capabilities in a given area due to non-compete restrictions. Lack of operational control over one of our venues may lead to inconsistencies in service quality, brand reputation, and overall customer experience, which may adversely impact on our business.
Our exclusive operating agreement with AEG Presents, for example, grants AEG Presents the exclusive right to operate and use Ford Amphitheater for events, subject to limited exceptions such as Venu having the right to use and reserve the venue for local events or performances by bands that are not nationally recognized or promoted. In addition, the agreement provides for a defined split of Ford Amphitheater’s profits and losses between Venu and AEG Presents in a range between 45% to 55% between the two parties, but gives each party certain opt-out rights for events such that a party may not be responsible for any losses that may result from certain events held at the venue (but will also not be entitled to any profits that may result from such events). The agreement also imposes restrictions on AEG Presents from operating venues that are comparable to Ford Amphitheater within a defined radius of the venue and imposes restrictions on Venu from owning, operating, or developing a competing venue within a defined radius. Non-competition and development restrictions may limit our ability to expand our business in certain key markets, which could hinder our growth opportunities and competitive positioning.
Our exclusive operating agreement with AEG Presents also includes renewal and termination provisions. If AEG Presents fails to renew the agreement or if the agreement is terminated, Venu may face disruptions in the operation of Ford Amphitheater, unexpected costs to find a replacement operator, or the inability to continue operating Ford Amphitheater under terms similar to those defined in the AEG Presents exclusive operating agreement.
Any of the foregoing risks, if realized, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Further, any negative publicity or events concerning an operator or other locations it operates may adversely affect public perception of our venues operated by such operator.
If Venu fails to execute its business strategy, which includes identifying, acquiring, and then developing new restaurants, amphitheaters, and entertainment venue locations, and opening locations that are profitable, Venu’s business could suffer.
Venu’s primary means of achieving growth objectives is opening and operating new and profitable restaurants and entertainment venues, and its multi-seasonal amphitheaters. This strategy involves numerous risks, and Venu may not be able to open all planned new venues, and the new locations that are open may not be profitable or as profitable as existing locations.
A significant risk in executing Venu’s business strategy is locating, securing, and then profitably operating suitable new locations for restaurants and music venues. Many of the larger projects Venu has undertaken, and expects to undertake (being multi-seasonal amphitheater projects), require a significant land footprint to locate the building, parking and other ancillary improvements. Locating, and then acquiring suitable sites is subject to numerous challenges, and there can be no assurance that Venu will be able to find sufficient suitable locations or negotiate suitable purchase or lease terms for planned expansion in any future period. Economic conditions may also reduce commercial development activity and limit the availability of attractive sites for new locations. New locations that open may experience an adjustment period before sales levels and operating margins normalize, and even sales at successful newly opened locations likely will not make a significant contribution to profitability in their initial months of operation. Venu’s ability to open and operate new locations successfully also depends on numerous other factors, some of which are beyond our control, including, among other items discussed in other risk factors, the following: ability to control construction and development costs of new restaurants and venues; ability to manage the local, state or other regulatory approvals and permits, zoning and licensing processes in a timely manner; ability to appropriately train employees and staff the venues; consumer acceptance of venues in new markets; and ability to manage construction related to the opening of a new venue. or in opening new locations or lower than expected sales in new locations could materially affect business strategy and could have an effect on business and results of operations.
Expansion into new geographic markets may present increased risks due to relative unfamiliarity with these markets.
Certain new venues, amphitheater and restaurant locations may be in areas in which Venu has not previously had a presence. Those new markets may have different competitive conditions, consumer tastes, and discretionary spending patterns than current markets where Venu has operations, which may cause new locations to be less successful than restaurants and venues in Venu’s core market. An additional risk of expanding into new markets is the potential for lower or lacking market awareness of the Venu brand. Restaurants and venues opened in new markets may open at lower average weekly sales volumes than locations opened in Venu’s core market and may have higher facility-level operating expense ratios than in existing markets. Restaurants and venues opened in new markets may take longer to reach average unit volume and margins, if at all, thereby affecting our overall profitability.
The catastrophic loss of a facility could adversely affect business.
The catastrophic loss of any of Venu’s facilities, venues, or restaurant location due to unanticipated events, such as fires, an act of terrorism or violent weather, would likely reduce revenues during the affected period, and such reduction would likely have a material adverse impact on Venu’s operating results, at least until Venu is operating a significant number of facilities.
Venu’s operational costs may be greater than projected due to factors beyond Venu’s control that slow project development and may adversely impact Venu’s profitability.
The costs in the restaurant and music venue industries are often underestimated and may increase because of factors beyond Venu’s control. Such factors may include weather conditions, legal costs, labor disputes, governmental regulations, equipment breakdowns, property availability, governmental regulatory interference, insurance costs and other disruptions. While Venu intends to manage these costs diligently, the risk of running over budget is always significant and may have a substantial adverse impact on the profitability of Venu. In such event, additional sales of any of Venu’s equity securities or additional financing may be required to continue the business of Venu, and there can be no guarantee that Venu could successfully conclude such additional sales or obtain such additional financing at all or on terms that were acceptable to Venu, which could have a materially adverse effect on Venu and its operations.
Venu’s restaurants and live-music venues face intense competition, and if Venu is unable to continue to compete effectively, its business, financial condition, and results of operations would be adversely affected.
The restaurant industry is intensely competitive, and Venu faces many well-established competitors. Venu competes within each market with national and regional restaurants and retail chains and locally owned restaurants and retailers. Competition from other regional or national restaurants and retail chains typically represents the more important competitive influence, principally because of their significant marketing and financial resources. Venu also faces competition as a result of the convergence of grocery, deli, retail, and restaurant services, particularly in the supermarket industry. It also faces competition from various off-premises meal replacement offerings including but not limited to home meal kits delivery, third-party meal delivery, and catering, and the rapid growth of these channels by competitors. Moreover, competitors can harm business even if they are not successful in their own operations by taking away customers or employees through aggressive and costly advertising, promotions, or hiring practices. Venu competes primarily on the quality, variety, and perceived value of menu and retail items. The number and location of restaurants, the growth of e-commerce, type of concept, quality and efficiency of service, attractiveness of facilities, and effectiveness of advertising and marketing programs also are important factors. Venu anticipates that intense competition will continue with respect to all of these factors. It also competes with other restaurant chains and other retail businesses for quality site locations, management and hourly employees, and other competitive pressures that could affect both the availability and cost of these important resources. If Venu is to continue to compete effectively, its business, financial condition, and results of operations would be affected.
Venu may face challenges in building name recognition, developing its reputation, and protecting its brand and reputation from adverse events that may not be within Venu’s control, which could adversely impact its expansion efforts, its operating results, and its ability to attract talented performers, generate audience enthusiasm, sell tickets, and generate revenue from its venues.
To date, we have opened a limited number of restaurants and two indoor music venues in a total of two markets, and we opened our first outdoor amphitheater in August 2024 in one of our existing markets. As a company with limited history and operations, to date, our name and brand is not widely known. We believe that growing, protecting, maintaining, and enhancing our name and brand recognition, and greater market awareness for our venues, is integral to our success in our current markets, particularly as we opened Ford Amphitheater and as we seek to expand into new markets. Growing, protecting, maintaining and enhancing our brand will depend largely on our ability to develop and maintain venues that are desirable for performers and attendees both at the time of their opening and overtime. This will depend on other things, our ability to develop and maintain venues with features and amenities that are desirable for performers and attendees, and differentiate our venues from others, which we may not do successfully. The value of our name and brand may decline if we are to maintain our brand and venues as being , high quality and unique in the live music industry. growing and maintaining our brand will depend largely on the effectiveness of our marketing efforts, our ability to open venues that prove and in the industry (both for performers and attendees), and our ability to continue to open, develop and differentiate our venues from competing facilities. in opening venues, of planned shows (for various reasons), security and safety related to our venues, publicity or reviews, experiences of performers or attendees, needed infrastructure upgrades and repairs that will occur from time to time, or other operational may our reputation and brand. media coverage, publicity, or public perception about us or our venues, our industry, or actual or perceived experiences of performers or attendees at our venues may also our reputation and our brand. If events occur that our reputation and brand, our ability to grow revenues from our existing venues and to expand into new markets may be , and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be .
We also believe that the importance of name and brand recognition will increase as competition in our current or prospective markets increases, and the promotion of our venues, name, and brand may require substantial expenditures. We have invested, and expect to continue to invest, resources to increase our name and brand awareness, both generally and in specific geographies and in specific intended customer groups. There can be no assurance that our brand development strategies and investment of resources will enhance recognition of the Venu (or Venu) brand or name, or lead to increased demand for our venues. If our efforts to protect and promote our name and brand are not successful, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected. In addition, even if our name and brand recognition and loyalty increases, revenue may not increase at a level commensurate with our marketing spending.
The entertainment business in which Venu operates is highly sensitive to customer tastes. The success of Venu’s business depends on Venu’s (and its contractual partners’) ability to attract popular artists and other live events to its venues. Venu and its partners may be unable to book events that generate demand, or anticipate or respond to changes in consumer preferences, which may result in decreased attendance at concerts and events hosted at Venu’s venues.
The success of Venu’s business depends, in part, upon its ability to offer live entertainment venues that are popular with customers. Moreover, Venu expects to rely, in part, on third parties (such as AEG Presents, with whom Venu has entered into an operating agreement for Ford Amphitheater in Colorado Springs, and Live Nation, with whom Venu has entered into an operator agreement for The Sunset McKinney in McKinney, Texas) to book events and acts at Venu’s venues. Although the agreements include performance targets as it relates to show and attendance numbers, the parties’ entry into these agreements do not assure that AEG Presents or any other operator will be successful in booking a specific number of events at a particular venue in a given year. In addition, Venu is obligated to split certain venue and event costs and revenues with these third-party operators and may also be required to make other accommodations to those parties in connection with their agreement to serve as the operator of a venue, such as providing the operator with a right of first offer for future venues that Venu constructs. There may be a limited number of popular artists, groups, or events that can attract audiences to venues and Venu’s business would suffer to the extent that its venues are to attract such artists, groups, and events to perform at its venues, or its third-party contractual partners are to perform under their agreements with Venu or to fulfill the parties’ expectations.
Moreover, the live music industry competes with other forms of entertainment for consumers’ discretionary spending. Within this industry, Venu competes with other venues to book artists in the markets in which it currently (or plans to) promotes music concerts, and Venu faces competition from other promoters and venue operators. Competitors compete with Venu for key employees who may have relationships with popular music artists and who have a history of being able to book such artists for concerts and tours. These competitors may engage in more extensive development efforts, undertake more far-reaching marketing campaigns, adopt more aggressive pricing policies, and make more attractive offers to existing and potential artists. Competitors may develop services, advertising options, or music venues that are equal or superior to those Venu provides or that achieve greater market acceptance and brand recognition. Across the live music industry, it is possible that new competitors may emerge and rapidly acquire a significant market share.
Venu’s success depends, in significant part, on entertainment and leisure events and economics, and other factors adversely affecting such events could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
A decline in attendance at or reduction in the number of live entertainment and leisure events may have an adverse effect on revenue and operating income. In addition, during periods of economic slowdown and recession, many consumers have historically reduced their discretionary spending and advertisers have reduced their advertising expenditures. The impact of economic slowdowns on business is difficult to predict, but they may result in reductions in ticket sales, sponsorship opportunities and Venu’s ability to generate revenue. The risks associated with Venu’s businesses may become more acute in periods of a slowing economy or recession, which may be accompanied by a decrease in attendance at live entertainment, sporting, and leisure events. Many of the factors affecting the number and availability of live entertainment and leisure events are beyond Venu’s control.
Venu’s business depends on discretionary consumer and corporate spending, which may be impacted by market volatility and challenging economic conditions.
Many factors related to corporate spending and discretionary consumer spending, including economic conditions affecting disposable consumer income, unemployment levels, fuel prices, interest rates, changes in tax rates and tax laws that impact companies or individuals, and inflation can significantly impact Venu’s operating results. Business conditions, as well as various industry conditions, including corporate marketing and promotional spending and interest levels, can also significantly impact Venu’s operating results. These factors can affect attendance at Venu’s events, sponsorship, advertising and hospitality spending, concession, and merchandise sales, as well as the financial results of any sponsors of Venu’s venues, events, and the industry. Negative factors such as challenging economic conditions and public concerns over terrorism and security incidents, particularly when combined, can impact corporate and consumer spending, and one negative factor may impact Venu’s results more than another. There can be no assurance that consumer and corporate spending will not be adversely impacted by current economic conditions, or by any future deterioration in economic conditions, thereby possibly impacting Venu’s operating results and growth.
Portions of Venu’s business are subject to seasonal fluctuations, and its operating results and cash flow likely will vary from period to period.
A significant portion of Venu’s future growth projections stem from the suite of multi-seasonal amphitheaters it intends to construct and own. As a result, Venu’s revenues and expenses are expected to fluctuate and operating results and cash flow likely will reflect significant variation from period to period. Consequently, period-to-period comparisons of our operating results may not necessarily be meaningful and the operating results of one period are not indicative of our financial performance during the full fiscal year. This variability may adversely affect Venu’s business, results of operations and financial condition.
Poor weather adversely affects attendance at live music events, which could negatively impact Venu’s financial performance from period to period.
A significant portion of Venu’s business is the hosting and promoting live music events. Weather conditions surrounding these events affect sales of tickets, concessions, and merchandise, among other things. Poor weather conditions can have a material impact on results of operations particularly because Venu can only promote and/or ticket a finite number of events. Venu’s operations at Ford Amphitheater, an outdoor amphitheater, may be particularly impacted by adverse weather. Due to weather conditions, Venu may be required to cancel or reschedule an event for another available day or a different venue, which would increase costs for the event and could negatively impact the attendance at the event as well as concession and merchandise sales. Poor weather can affect current periods as well as successive events in future periods.
There is a risk of personal injuries and accidents in connection with live music events, which could subject Venu to personal injury or other claims and increase expenses, as well as reduce attendance at its live music events, causing a decrease in revenue.
There are inherent risks involved with organizing and producing live music (and other entertainment) events. As a result, personal injuries and accidents may occur in the future, from time to time, which could subject Venu to claims and liabilities for personal injuries. Incidents in connection with Venu’s live music events at any of its venues that its owns or rents could also result in claims, reducing operating income or reducing attendance at its events, which could cause a decrease in revenue. In addition, while Venu has security protocols in place at its events, illegal drug use or alcohol consumption at events could result in negative publicity, adverse consequences (including illness, injury, or death) to the persons engaged in such activities or others, and litigation against Venu. While Venu maintains insurance policies that provide coverage within limits that are sufficient, in management’s judgment, to protect it from material financial for personal sustained by persons at its venues or events or in the ordinary course of business, there can be no assurance that such insurance will be adequate at all times and in all circumstances.
The sale of food and prepared food products for human consumption involves a risk of injury to customers.
Such injuries may result from tampering by unauthorized third parties, product contamination or spoilage, including the presence of foreign objects, substances, chemicals, other agents, or residues introduced during the growing, storage, handling, and transportation phases. Additionally, many of the food items in the restaurants Venu owns contain beef and chicken. The preferences of customers toward beef and chicken could be affected by changes in consumer health or dietary trends and preferences regarding meat consumption or health concerns and publicity concerning food quality, illness, and injury generally. In recent years there has been publicity concerning E. Coli bacteria, hepatitis A, “mad cow” disease, “foot-and-mouth” disease, salmonella, African swine fever, peanut and other food allergens, and other public health concerns affecting the food supply, including beef, chicken, pork, dairy and eggs. In addition, government regulations or the likelihood of government regulation could increase the costs of obtaining or preparing food products. A decrease in guest traffic to venues, a change in mix of products sold, or an increase in costs as a result of these health concerns, either in general or specific to operations, could result in a decrease in sales or higher costs to venues that would materially business.
The price and availability of food, ingredients, retail merchandise, transportation, distribution, and utilities used by Venu’s venues could adversely affect revenues and results of operations.
Venu is subject to the general risks of inflation, and Venu’s operating profit margins and results of operations depend significantly on its ability to anticipate and react to changes in the price, quality and availability of food and other commodities, ingredients, retail merchandise, transportation, distribution, utilities, and other related costs over which Venu has limited control. Fluctuations in economic conditions, weather, demand, and other factors affect the availability, quality and cost of the ingredients and products that Venu buys. Furthermore, many of the products that Venu uses and their costs are interrelated. Changes in global demand for corn, wheat and dairy products could cause volatility in the feed costs for poultry and livestock. The effect of, introduction of, or changes to tariffs or exchange rates on imported retail products or food products could increase costs and possibly affect the supply of those products. Changes in demand for over the road transportation and distribution services could cause volatility, increase costs, and affect operating margins. In addition, food safety concerns, widespread outbreaks of livestock and poultry diseases, such as, among other things, the avian flu and African swine fever, and product recalls, all of which are out of Venu’s control, and, in many instances, unpredictable, could also increase costs and possibly affect the supply of livestock and poultry products. Venu’s operating margins are also affected, whether as a result of general inflation or otherwise, by fluctuations in the price of utilities such as natural gas and electricity, on which Venu’s locations depend for much of their energy supply. Venu’s to anticipate and respond effectively to one or more changes in any of these factors could have a significant effect on its results of operations.
Inflationary pressures may materially impact our business operations, particularly from an increase in supply costs, labor costs, and changes in consumer behavior and discretionary spending, all of which may have an impact on our business decisions and profitability. The costs for essential ingredients needed for our restaurants and entertainment venues could fluctuate due to an increase in the prices of essential commodities, which would result in higher prices paid to our suppliers for food, beverages, and other materials necessary for our operations. Venu seeks to pass a portion of these costs onto our customers through increases in our menu prices. However, Venu may not be able to pass along price increases to our customers to sufficiently or completely offset the cost increases we have incurred. Our ability to fully pass on increasing costs to consumers is restricted by the potential for reduced customer demand. As a result, we absorb some of the cost increases, which negatively affect our margins and put further pressure on our bottom line.
We have also seen changes in consumer behavior that we attribute, in part, to inflationary pressures, particularly impacting consumers’ discretionary-spending behaviors. We have observed that customers are more cautious about the overall costs of food, beverages, and spending on non-essential items and activities such as dining at restaurants, purchasing tickets for live entertainment concerts and shows, and purchasing food and drinks during events. If persistent, this shift in consumer-spending pattern may result in lower demand for both our restaurant offerings and live entertainment events, which would negatively affect our revenue.
If inflationary pressures are persistent or worsen, Venu’s business could be further negatively impacted by rising supply costs and changes in consumer behavior, which could result in additional price increases, reduced demand for our restaurant and event offerings, and continued pressure on our profitability. Any of those negative results could materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Risks Related to Governmental Regulation
Venu is subject to extensive governmental regulation and changes in these regulations and its failure to comply with them may have a material negative effect on the Company’s business and results of operations.
Venu’s business is subject to the general powers of federal, state, and local governments, including those outlined below.
Venue and Restaurant Operations - related Permits/Licenses . Venu’s venues, like all public spaces, are subject to building and health codes and fire regulations imposed by state and local government as well as zoning, noise and outdoor advertising and signage regulations. Venu also requires a number of licenses in multiple jurisdictions to operate, including, but not limited to, occupancy permits, exhibition licenses, food and beverage permits, liquor licenses, signage entitlements and other authorizations. Failure to receive or retain, or the suspension of liquor licenses or permits could interrupt or terminate our ability to serve alcoholic beverages at our venues. Additional regulation relating to liquor licenses may limit our activities in the future or significantly increase the cost of compliance, or both. Venu is subject to “dram shop” statutes in certain states, which generally provide that serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated or minor patron is a violation of the law and may provide for strict liability for certain damages arising out of such violations. Venu’s liability insurance coverage may not be adequate or available to cover any or all such potential liability. Any to maintain these permits or licenses could have a material effect on Venu’s business and results of operations.
Public Health and Safety. As a result of government mandated assembly limitations and closures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Venu’s revenues declined substantially in 2020 and 2021. There can be no assurance that some or all of these restrictions will not be imposed again in the future due to another pandemic or public health emergency. Venu is unable to predict what the long-term effects of these events, including renewed government regulations or requirements, will be. For example, future governmental regulations adopted in response to a pandemic may impact on the revenue we derive and/or the expenses we incur from the events that we choose to host, such that events that were historically profitable would instead result in losses.
Environmental Laws . The amphitheaters and venues Venu develops are subject to federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations relating to the use, disposal, storage, emission and release of hazardous and non-hazardous substances, as well as zoning and noise level restrictions which may affect, among other things, the operations of our venues. Compliance with these regulations and the associated costs may be heightened as a result of the purchase, construction or renovation of a venue. Additionally, certain laws and regulations could hold the Company strictly, jointly and severally responsible for the remediation of hazardous substance contamination at its facilities or at third-party waste disposal sites, as well as for any personal injury or property damage related to any contamination. Venu’s commercial general liability and/or the pollution legal liability insurance coverage may not be adequate or available to cover any or all such potential liability.
Data Privacy . Venu is subject to various data privacy and protection laws, regulations, policies and contractual obligations that apply to the collection, transmission, storage, processing and use of personal information or personal data, which among other things, imposes certain requirements relating to the privacy and security of personal information. The variety of laws and regulations governing data privacy and protection, and the use of the internet as a commercial medium, are rapidly evolving, extensive and complex, and may include provisions and obligations that are inconsistent with one another or uncertain in their scope or application.
The data protection landscape is rapidly evolving in the United States. As Venu’s operations and business grow, it may become subject to or affected by new or additional data protection laws and regulations and face increased scrutiny or attention from regulatory authorities. For example, California has passed a comprehensive data privacy law, the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (the “ CCPA ”), and a number of other states, including Virginia, Colorado, Utah and Connecticut, have also passed similar laws, and various additional states may do so in the near future. Further, there are several legislative proposals in the United States, at both the federal and state level, which could impose new privacy and security obligations. Venu has not yet determined the impact that these future laws and regulations may have on its business. In addition, governmental authorities and private litigants continue to bring actions against companies for online collection, use, dissemination and security practices that are unfair or deceptive.
Venu’s business is, and may in the future be, subject to a variety of other laws and regulations, including licensing, permitting, working conditions, labor, immigration and employment laws; health, safety and sanitation requirements; and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (and related state and local statutes).
Any changes to the legal and regulatory framework applicable to Venu’s business could have an adverse impact on its businesses and its failure to comply with applicable governmental laws and regulations, or to maintain necessary permits or licenses, could result in liability or government actions that could have a material negative effect on Venu’s business and results of operations.
Zoning and governmental approvals could hinder, delay, or completely inhibit Venu’s ability to own, develop, lease, and construct upon the real estate upon which it intends to build new restaurants and venues.
Real estate development and ownership are subject to extensive regulation related to zoning, land use, building design, taxation, construction materials, warranties, environmental protection, and workplace safety, among others. Projects may be subject to legal challenges brought by governmental authorities or private parties. Local governments may enact growth control initiatives, annexation or building restrictions, impose moratoriums to restrict development or other adverse economic or monetary policies, impose nuisances and other conditions on development of particular sites, and increase the fees imposed on developers to fund roads, schools, open spaces, or affordable housing. Any of the foregoing could prevent Venu from undertaking or completing a particular project, impair its ability to sell or dispose of certain properties, force it to implement design changes, increase the cost of obtaining the necessary approvals, and/or cause delays in the approval process.
Various components of the construction and development of new venue locations will require approval from local government officials or agencies. Land-use regulations, construction permits, and other regulatory requirements at the state and local level can require significant time and knowledge to obtain. There is no assurance that these regulatory requirements can be satisfied or will not be delayed due to factors beyond Venu’s control or otherwise. Failure to obtain the required approvals in a timely manner, or at all, may result in delays or abandonment of site locations Venu is developing or plan to develop. Any funds spent by Venu prior to that determination may be lost.
Venu’s ability to meet labor needs while controlling costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, minimum wage legislation, health care legislation, payroll taxes and changing demographics.
Many employees are hourly workers whose wages are affected by increases in the federal or state minimum wage or changes to tip credits. Tip credits are the amounts an employer is permitted to assume an employee receives in tips when the employer calculates the employee’s hourly wage for minimum wage compliance purposes. Increases in minimum wage levels and changes to the tip credit have been made and continue to be proposed at both federal and state levels. As minimum wage rates increase, the Company may need to increase not only the wages of minimum-wage employees but also the wages paid to employees at wage rates that are above minimum wage. If competitive pressures or other factors prevent the Company from offsetting increased labor costs by increases in prices, profitability may decline.
The regulatory environment surrounding information security and privacy is increasingly demanding, with the frequent imposition of new and constantly changing requirements.
Compliance with consumer-privacy laws, payment-card security standards, data-storage regulations, and other laws and regulations that aim to protect customers’ data privacy may result in cost increases due to necessary system changes and the development of new administrative processes. In addition, customers and employees have a high expectation that Venu will adequately protect their personal information. For example, in connection with credit and debit card sales, Venu transmits confidential card information. Third parties may have the technology or know-how to breach the security of this customer information, and security measures and those of its technology vendors may not effectively prevent others from obtaining improper access to this information. If Venu fails to comply with the laws and regulations regarding privacy and security or experience a security breach, it could be exposed to risks of data loss, regulatory investigations and/or penalties, a loss of the ability to process credit and debit card payments, substantial or to guests, , and of operations. Additionally, any resulting publicity could significantly Venu’s reputation and its relations with guests. As privacy and information security laws, regulations and practices change and cyber risks continue to evolve, Venu may incur additional costs to ensure it remains in compliance and protect guests, employees, and Company information.
Risks Related to Legal Matters
Venu was previously engaged in litigation related to its construction and operation of Ford Amphitheater in a lawsuit that was ultimately dismissed. Venu is also currently facing litigation related to alleged unlawful noise pollution from Ford Amphitheater. Venu may face similar lawsuits in other municipalities where it is constructing, or plans to construct, Sunset Amphitheaters.
The planning, construction, and development of Venu’s venues requires the Company to obtain and various governmental approvals and permits. As disclosed under “Venu Business — Legal Proceedings,” Venu, Venu Real Estate, LLC, and the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado (the “ City ”) were defendants in a lawsuit filed in the El Paso County District Court of Colorado on September 26, 2023 by a neighborhood association and an individual who sought to enjoin Venu’s construction and operation of Ford Amphitheater based on allegations that the venue would emit “unlawful noise pollution” in violation of state law. Venu filed a motion to dismiss, which the El Paso County District Court granted on January 11, 2024. The plaintiffs then filed an appeal to the Colorado Court of Appeals, which affirmed the dismissal of all claims against Venu on September 12, 2024. Ford Amphitheater opened in August 2024 and has been operating since that time.
However, on January 21, 2026, certain of the Company’s subsidiaries were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed in the El Paso County District Court of Colorado by plaintiffs seeking the abatement and permanent injunction of alleged unlawful noise pollution at Ford Amphitheater based on allegations that the venue emits unlawful noise pollution in violation of state law. The Company believes that the Ford Amphitheater’s operations have complied with applicable laws, and the defendant subsidiaries intend to vigorously defend against all claims, but there can be no assurance regarding the outcome of the litigation.
Although Venu believes it complied with all applicable codes and procedures required to operate Ford Amphitheater, any requirement that Venu lower the volume at Ford Amphitheater concerts and events or develop infrastructure at Ford Amphitheater to mitigate noise pollution, or any other unfavorable outcome from the litigation could subject Venu to adverse commercial ramifications and negatively impact Venu’s business operations, financial condition, and ability to comply with its contractual obligations to host scheduled concerts and events at Ford Amphitheater. Venu could be required to cancel or reschedule certain concerts and events, which would increase Venu’s costs for the events, could negatively impact attendance and food-and-beverage sales at the events, and delay or decrease Venu’s ability to generate revenues through events scheduled at the venue.
Venu could face similar lawsuits in other locations where it is constructing, or plans to construct, Sunset Amphitheaters based on similar laws or other local ordinances. Any litigation of this nature, regardless of outcome, could result in substantial costs being incurred by Venu, management’s focus and resources being diverted, Venu’s expected timelines for construction, operations, and event hosting being impeded, and loss of revenues. Any of the foregoing risks and adverse outcomes could materially impact Venu’s business, financial condition, results of operations, and/or cash flows.
We may, from time to time, be subject to legal proceedings, regulatory inquiries, investigations, or claims that could adversely affect our business.
From time to time, we may be involved in various legal proceedings, regulatory inquiries, governmental investigations, or other claims arising in the ordinary course of our business related to subjects such as commercial transactions, securities offerings, intellectual property matters, employment matters, or compliance with applicable laws and regulations (including that pertain to licensing, permitting, and zoning, including municipal and state noise ordinances and restrictions). For example, the Company and two of its subsidiaries received a subpoena duces tecum from the Oklahoma Division of Securities (the “ ODS ”) on August 20, 2025, compelling us to produce documents related to any securities offerings in the State of Oklahoma. Although the ODS has not asserted any securities violations by the Company or its subsidiaries, and the Company is fully cooperating with the ODS, the outcome of this matter and any other legal proceeding, regulatory inquiry, governmental investigation, or other claim involving our business or operations is inherently uncertain.
If certain communications used to market certain exempt offerings of membership interests conducted by the Company’s subsidiaries are deemed to have been an “offer” in violation of Section 5 of the Securities Act with respect to any public offering that the Company conducts, the Company may be subject to claims for rescission by investors that participate in the public offering.
Certain of the Company’s special purpose entity (“ SPE ”) subsidiaries have conducted exempt private offerings of membership interests (“ Subsidiary Offerings ”). The Subsidiary Offerings have often been generally referenced by the Company as “Luxe FireSuite” sales (with a key focus being on a holder’s right to use and “own” a specific Luxe FireSuite in a specific amphitheater and on the real property asset owned by the particular SPE subsidiary). Having third parties’ own certain stakes or rights in SPE assets and being afforded various in-kind rights and benefits for their use at specific venues, has lent to the Company’s general mantra of being “fan owned.”
In connection with these Subsidiary Offerings, the Company’s SPE subsidiaries marketed the Subsidiary Offerings through various general solicitation efforts and communications (“ Subsidiary Communications ”), including posting references to or information about the Subsidiary Offering investment opportunities to the Company’s website, which described the type of security being offered by each specific subsidiary, the venue and geographic location each such Subsidiary Offering related to, and the anticipated benefits to prospective investors in each SPE subsidiary, as well as forms of print or other broadcast media that was generally geographically targeted to prospective investors in a given market where a venue was set to be developed.
The Subsidiary Communications related or eluded solely to opportunities in certain of the Company’s SPE subsidiaries and, unlike with respect to any public offering that the Company conducts, did not in any way relate to a prospective investment in the Company as a whole, or to the Company’s offering of Common Stock at the parent corporation level.
The Company does not believe that the Subsidiary Communications and marketing efforts described above constitute a violation of Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), or of applicable provisions of state securities laws. However, if such communications were held by a court to be “offers” in violation of Section 5 of the Securities Act or applicable provisions of state securities laws with respect to any public offering that the Company previously conducted or conducts in the future, purchasers of shares of Common Stock in the public offering may have rescission rights or claims for damages. Upon exercise of any such rescission rights, the Company could be required to repurchase the shares sold to investors in the public offering, for any consideration determined to have been paid for such shares, with interest thereon, less the amount of any income received therefrom, or for damages if the shares are no longer owned by any such investor, for a period of one year following the date of the violation. Similar remedies could be available to investors under state securities laws. The amount of any such potential liability is uncertain. The Company would contest vigorously any claim that a of the Securities Act or applicable provisions of state securities law occurred.
Any failure by Venu or its subsidiaries to comply with private offering exemption requirements could result in, among other things, rescission rights that could adversely affect the Company as a whole.
The offer and sale of securities and investment related products by entities and their agents is subject to numerous regulations under federal and state securities laws. From time to time Venu’s subsidiaries engage in private offerings of securities of membership interests and that relate to its Luxe FireSuites, and, when it does so to the extent any offerings involve a sale of securities Company seeks to offer and sell those securities in reliance upon certain private offering exemptions from registration provided in the Securities Act and related exemptions under applicable state securities laws. If the Company (or any applicable subsidiary) fails to comply with the requirements of such offering exemption(s), the Company could be subject to certain claims by federal or state securities regulators and investors may have the right, if they so desired, to rescind their purchase of the membership interests they purchase (and any corollary Luxe FireSuite rights). This rescission right might also apply under the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws and regulations in states where the any securities are offered. In addition, certain Venu subsidiaries may offer use rights or other interests in Luxe FireSuites located at certain of Venu’s projects that Venu does not believe are a security, but, could later to be deemed subject to regulation under federal or state securities laws. Any failure to comply with applicable securities laws could subject the Company to various sanctions, and . In addition, if a number of investors were in seeking rescission, the Company (or applicable subsidiary) could face financial demands that would affect a given project, or even the Company as a whole.
Use of social media and influencers may adversely affect our reputation or subject us to fines or other penalties.
We use third-party social media platforms as, among other things, marketing tools. We also maintain relationships with brand ambassadors and engage in collaborations. As laws and regulations and public opinion rapidly evolve to govern the use of these platforms, the failure by us, our employees, our network of brand ambassadors, our sponsors, or third parties acting at our direction to abide by applicable laws and regulations in the use of these platforms or otherwise could subject us to regulatory investigations, class action lawsuits, liability, fines, or other penalties and have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.
In addition, an increase in the use of brand ambassadors for product promotion and marketing may cause an increase in the burden on us to monitor compliance of the content they post and increase the risk that such content could contain problematic product or marketing claims in violation of applicable laws and regulations. For example, in some cases, the Federal Trade Commission has sought enforcement action where an endorsement has failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose a financial relationship or material connection between an influencer and an advertiser. We do not control the content that our brand ambassadors post, and if we were held responsible for any false, misleading, or otherwise unlawful content of their posts or their actions, we could be fined or subjected to other monetary liabilities or forced to alter our practices, which could have an impact on our business.
Negative commentary regarding us, our products, or brand ambassadors and other third parties who are affiliated with us may also be posted on social media platforms and may be adverse to our reputation or business. Brand ambassadors with whom we maintain relationships could engage in behavior or use their platforms to communicate directly with our consumers in a manner that reflects poorly on our brand and may be attributed to us or otherwise adversely affect us. It is not possible to prevent such behavior, and the precautions we take to detect this activity may not be effective in all cases. Our target consumers often value readily available information and often act on such information without further investigation and without regard to its accuracy. The harm may be immediate, without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.
Risks Related to Information Technology, Cybersecurity, and Intellectual Property
A material disruption in information technology, network infrastructure, and telecommunication systems could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Venu relies extensively on information technology across operations, including, but not limited to, point of sales processing, supply chain management, retail merchandise allocation and distribution, labor productivity and expense management. Its business depends significantly on the reliability, security, and capacity of information technology systems to process these transactions, summarize results, manage, and report on business and supply chain. Its information technology systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computers, network, cable system, internet and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, catastrophic events such as fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, acts of war or terrorism, and usage errors by our employees. If Venu’s information technology and telecommunication systems are damaged or cease to function properly, it may have to make a significant investment to repair or replace them and could suffer loss of data and or in operations in the interim. Any material in information technology and telecommunication systems could affect business or results of operations. In addition, some of these essential technology-based business systems are outsourced to third parties. While Venu makes efforts to ensure that its outsourced providers are observing proper standards and controls, it cannot guarantee that , , or caused by these providers will not occur.
A privacy breach or cybersecurity attack could adversely affect Venu’s business and operations.
The protection of customers, employees, and Company data is critical to Venu. Venu is subject to laws relating to information security, privacy, cashless payments, consumer credit, and fraud. Additionally, an increasing number of government and industry groups have established laws and standards for the protection of personal and health information. As a merchant and service provider of point-of-sale services, Venu is also subject to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard issued by the Payment Card Industry Council.
Data security incidents and the unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of personal or sensitive information could adversely affect our business, damage our reputation, and give rise to liabilities.
Venu collects, processes, stores, and transmits personal and other sensitive information about our customers and employees in connection with our operations. Cybersecurity incidents, data breaches, system failures, or unauthorized access to or disclosure of such information, whether involving our systems or those of third-party service providers, could disrupt our operations, harm our reputation, and give rise to liabilities, including regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, litigation, and penalties. In addition, security breaches or the inability to protect sensitive information could lead to increased incidents of ticketing fraud and counterfeit tickets. Security breaches and could also significantly our reputation with consumers, ticketing clients, and other third parties, and could result in significant costs related to remediation efforts, such as credit or identity theft monitoring.
Although we have established systems and processes designed to protect sensitive customer and employee information and to thwart cybersecurity threats, such measures cannot provide absolute security or certainty. Furthermore, cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, and techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, misuse data, or disrupt systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Despite our best efforts, we may be unaware of or unable to anticipate these techniques and to implement adequate preventative measures.
Failure to maximize or to successfully protect and assert Venu’s intellectual property rights could adversely affect business and results of operations.
Venu relies on trademarks, unfair competition, trade secret, and copyright laws to protect its intellectual property rights. Venu has registered certain trademarks and service marks with appropriate governmental authorities, but there can be no guarantee that these intellectual property rights will be maximized or that they can be successfully asserted. There is a risk that Venu will not be able to obtain and perfect its own intellectual property rights, or, where appropriate, to license intellectual property rights necessary to support new product introductions or other brand extensions. There is no guarantee that these rights, if obtained, will not be invalidated, circumvented, or challenged in the future. Venu’s failure to protect or successfully assert its intellectual property rights could make it less competitive and could have an adverse effect on Venu’s business and results of operations.
We may be subject to claims that we infringed upon certain third-party intellectual property rights, which, even if meritless, could be costly to defend and could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and prospects.
The success of our business depends, in part, on our success in developing and marketing our products and services without infringing, misappropriating, or otherwise violating the intellectual property rights of third parties. However, from time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and other claims in the ordinary course of business alleging infringement of third-party intellectual property rights. Third parties may be able to successfully challenge, oppose, invalidate, render unenforceable, dilute, misappropriate, or circumvent our trademarks and other intellectual property rights, even if we were unaware that our products or services are , , or otherwise third-party intellectual property rights.
We cannot predict the outcome of lawsuits and cannot ensure that the results of any such claims will not adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, or prospects. Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights in a meaningful manner could damage our reputation, erode our brand names and other IP, and strain or harm our business relationships. Accordingly, litigation may be necessary to determine the validity and scope of proprietary rights claimed by third parties, assert and enforce our intellectual property rights, and defend against third-party infringement claims. Defending against such claims would be and time-consuming. Any such or , regardless of merit or outcome, could cause us to incur significant expenses and could our management and resources. If asserted us, such could inhibit our ability to offer certain products or services, require us to pay substantial costs and , us to obtain licenses to continue our operations, compel us to adopt re-designs or modifications, or subject us to other terms.
Risks Related to Our Officers, Directors, Affiliates, and Other Personnel
Venu is involved in a number of related-party transactions.
Many of the officers, directors, and principal shareholders of Venu (and its subsidiaries) are involved in Venu’s management and operations, including in roles as officers, directors, managers, and/or equity holders of Hospitality Income & Asset, LLC and 13141 BP, LLC, and landlords to two of Venu’s operating subsidiaries: BBST and BBP. Furthermore, several shareholders are members of Venu’s landlords in Gainesville, Georgia. Additionally, many of the founders, officers, directors, and shareholders of Venu (and its subsidiaries) are involved as officers, directors, and executives of Roth Industries, the parent company of Roth Premium Foods, LLC, which is the licensee of the counterparty to the Bourbon Brothers licensing agreement. For a description of the related-party transactions involving Venu, its subsidiaries, and its management, see the “Certain Relationships and Related-Party Transactions” section of this Annual Report.
Venu is dependent on its key personnel and will need to hire additional personnel. Venu’s hiring abilities may be strained by current employment trends and economic conditions.
Venu’s future successes depend on its ability to identify, attract, hire, train, retain and motivate highly skilled executives, technical, sales and marketing, business development, and store level personnel including restaurant managers and kitchen managers. Venu is currently particularly dependent on the efforts of JW Roth. The loss of Mr. Roth would likely have a significant negative impact on Venu’s operations and growth strategies. Competition for qualified personnel may be intense. If Venu fails to successfully attract, assimilate, and retain a sufficient number of such personnel, its business will suffer.
Venu’s officers, directors, and principal shareholders collectively own a substantial portion of Venu’s Common Stock.
Collectively, Venu’s officers and directors beneficially own approximately 35.4% of our outstanding Common Stock as of March 15, 2026. Specifically, JW Roth, our Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and founder, beneficially owns approximately 30.7% of the voting power of our Common Stock; Heather Atkinson, our Chief Financial Officer, Secretary, and one of our directors, beneficially owns approximately 1.6%; Mitchell Roth, one of our directors, beneficially owns approximately 1.6%; and each of our other officers and directors beneficially own less than 1%. As a result, shareholders may face challenges in affecting matters involving our Company, including:
the composition of our Board of Directors and, through it, any determination with respect to our business direction and policies, including the appointment and removal of officers;
any determination with respect to mergers or other business combinations;
our acquisition or disposition of assets; and
our corporate financing activities.
Our officers, directors, and principal shareholders may act in concert to significantly influence these and other matters requiring shareholder approval. Furthermore, this concentration of voting power could have the effect of delaying, deterring, or preventing a change of control or other business combination that might otherwise be beneficial to our shareholders. This significant concentration of share ownership may also adversely affect the trading price for our Common Stock because investors may perceive disadvantages in owning stock in a company that is controlled by a small number of shareholders.
Venu’s officers and directors do not owe a duty of exclusivity to Venu.
Venu’s officers and directors are not required to devote all of their business time to Venu as their sole and exclusive function or business. Certain members of our management team have other business interests and may engage in other activities and pursue other business opportunities in addition to those relating to Venu. Neither Venu nor any shareholder has any right to share or participate in such other investments or activities of management or to the income or proceeds derived therefrom.
Venu is dependent on attracting and retaining qualified employees while also controlling labor costs.
Venu’s business is dependent on attracting and retaining a large and growing number of qualified employees. Availability of staff varies widely from location to location. Many staff members are in entry-level or part-time positions, typically with high turnover rates. High turnover of venue management and staff would cause Venu to incur higher direct costs associated with recruiting, training, and retaining replacement personnel. Management turnover as well as general shortages in the labor pool can cause venues to operate with reduced staff, which negatively affects the ability to provide appropriate service levels to customers. The market for the most qualified talent continues to be competitive and Venu must provide competitive wages, benefits, and workplace conditions to maintain the most qualified employees. Competition for qualified employees exerts upward pressure on wages paid to attract such personnel, resulting in higher labor costs, together with greater recruiting and training expenses.
General Risks Relating to Our Business and Operations
Global economic and market uncertainty may adversely impact Venu’s business and operating results.
Uncertain global and macro-economic conditions have in the past and may adversely impact Venu’s business in the future. The current uncertainty in the worldwide economic environment together with other unfavorable changes in economic conditions, such as heightened inflation and interest rate increases currently being experienced or implemented by most developed economies, as well as recessions that have affected major countries, may negatively impact consumer confidence and spending, ultimately causing Venu’s customers to postpone purchases and may ultimately impact our profitability. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had in the past, and may in the future have negative effects on economies and financial markets. Venu could experience period-to-period fluctuations in operating results due to general industry or economic conditions, and volatile or uncertain economic conditions can adversely impact sales and profitability and make it difficult for Venu to accurately forecast and plan its future business activities. Furthermore, inflationary pressure and increases in interest rates may impact revenue, earnings and demand for Venu’s service and venue offerings. During economic times, Venu’s current or potential future customers may experience cash flow and as a result may modify, or plans to visit Venu’s restaurants and venues.
Venu and its venues may be adversely affected by the occurrence of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks or disease epidemics.
The occurrence and threat of extraordinary events, such as terrorist attacks, intentional or unintentional mass-casualty incidents, public health concerns such as contagious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, or similar events, may deter artists from touring and/or substantially decrease the use of and demand for services and the attendance at live music events, which may decrease revenue or expose Venu to substantial liability. The terrorism and security incidents in the past, military actions in foreign locations, periodically elevated terrorism alerts and fears from publicized contagious disease outbreaks have raised numerous challenging operating factors, including public concerns regarding air travel, military actions and additional national or local catastrophic incidents, causing a nationwide of commercial and leisure activities.
In the event of actual or threatened terrorism events, some artists may refuse to travel or book tours, which could adversely affect business. Attendance at events may decline due to fears over terrorism and contagious disease outbreaks, which could adversely impact operating results. While it is constantly evaluating the security precautions for events in an effort to ensure the safety of the public, no security measures can guarantee safety and there can be no assurances that it won’t face liabilities, which could be substantial and materially impact our operating results, in connection with such terrorist attacks at events.
While Venu has health and safety programs designed to mitigate the risks that are inherent in the staging of concerts and other events, as well as those associated with extraordinary occurrences or actions that may take place at events, there can be no assurances that these programs will be sufficient to fully cover every possibility. Despite Venu’s best efforts, some occurrences or actions are difficult to foresee and adequately plan for, which could lead to fan, vendor, or employee harm resulting in fines, penalties, legal costs, and reputational risk that could materially and adversely impact our business and results of operations.
Health concerns, government regulation relating to the consumption of food products, and widespread infectious diseases could impact consumer preferences and negatively affect results of operations.
If a regional or global health pandemic or virus outbreak occurs, depending upon its location, duration, and severity, Venu’s business could be severely affected. In the event a health pandemic occurs, customers might avoid public places, and local, regional, or national governments might limit or ban public gatherings to halt or delay the spread of disease. Jurisdictions in which we have restaurants and venues may impose mandatory closures or impose restrictions on operations. If a virus is transmitted by human contact or respiratory transmission, employees or guests could become infected, or could choose, or be advised, to avoid gathering in public places, any of which would adversely affect restaurant guest traffic or perform functions at the corporate level. A regional or global health pandemic might also adversely affect business by disrupting or delaying production and delivery of materials and products in our supply chain and causing staffing shortages in our stores.
Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock
The stock price of Venu’s Common Stock may be volatile or may decline regardless of our operating performance.
An active or liquid market in our Common Stock may not be sustainable. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling shares of our Common Stock and may impair our ability to enter into strategic partnerships or acquire companies or products by using our shares of Common Stock as consideration.
We do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future. Any return on investment may be limited to the value of Venu’s Common Stock.
We do not anticipate paying cash dividends on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future. The payment of dividends on our Common Stock will depend on earnings, financial condition, and other business and economic factors affecting it at such times as the Board of Directors may consider relevant. If we do not pay dividends, our Common Stock may be less valuable because a return on your investment will occur only if our stock price appreciates.
Widespread market volatility and fluctuations in the share price of Venu’s Common Stock could expose us to costly securities litigation.
In the past, following periods of market volatility, public company shareholders have often instituted securities class action litigation. If we were involved in securities litigation, it could impose a substantial cost upon us and divert the resources and attention of our management from our business.
Our ability to use our net operating loss carry-forwards and certain other tax attributes may be limited.
Under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, if a corporation undergoes an “ownership change” (generally defined as a greater than 50% change (by value) in its equity ownership over a three-year period), the corporation’s ability to use its pre-change net operating loss carry-forwards and other pre-change tax attributes (such as research tax credits) to offset its post-change income may be limited. We may experience ownership changes in the future as a result of subsequent shifts in our stock ownership, including transactions we may consume in the succeeding three-year period. As a result, if we earn net taxable income, our ability to use our pre-change net operating loss carry-forwards to offset U.S. federal taxable income may be subject to limitations, which could result in increased future tax liability.
Our Articles of Incorporation permit “blank check” Preferred Stock, which can be designated by our Board of Directors without shareholder approval.
Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation (our “ Articles of Incorporation ”) authorize the Board to issue up to 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, which may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of which will have a distinctive designation or title as determined by our Board. To date, we have denominated 1,342 shares of our preferred stock as Series B 4% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (“ Series B Preferred Stock ”). Our Articles of Incorporation authorize the Board to establish the designations, preferences, limitations, restrictions, and relative rights of the Preferred Stock and any variations in the relative rights and preferences as between different series of Preferred Stock in accordance with the CBCA. As such, the Board could establish one or more individual series of Preferred Stock with enhanced dividend rights, rights of redemption, sinking funds to pay dividends, liquidation, and other rights that would be different than, and preferential to, the rights of the holders of our Common Stock. Because our Board is able to designate the powers and preferences of the Preferred Stock without the vote of a majority of our shareholders, holders of our Common Stock will have no control over what designations and preferences any newly designated Preferred Stock will have.
Certain provisions in our Governance Documents could make a merger, acquisition, other change in control, tender offer, or proxy contest more difficult and may prevent shareholder attempts to replace or remove our current management, which could depress the trading price of our Common Stock.
Certain provisions in our Articles of Incorporation and our Bylaws (our “ Bylaws ”; together with our Articles of Incorporation, our “ Governance Documents ”) could depress the trading price of our Common Stock by acting to discourage, delay, or prevent a merger, acquisition, tender offer, proxy contest, or other change in control of us or change in our management that our shareholders may deem favorable or advantageous, including transactions in which shareholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares. These provisions could limit the price that investors are willing to pay in the future for our Common Stock, thereby depressing the market price of our Common Stock. In addition, because our Board is responsible for appointing the members of our management team, these provisions may frustrate or prevent any attempts by our shareholders to replace or remove our current management by making it more difficult for shareholders to replace members of our Board. Among other things, these provisions:
permit the Board to establish and change the authorized number of directors and to fill any vacancies and newly created directorships;
authorize the issuance of “blank check” Preferred Stock that our Board could use to implement a shareholder rights plan, or so-called “poison pill,” that would work to dilute the stock ownership of a potential hostile acquirer, effectively preventing acquisitions that have not been approved by our Board;
establish advance notice requirements for nominations for election to our Board or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by shareholders at annual shareholder meetings; and
authorize the Board to adopt, amend, or repeal our Bylaws.
Any provision in our Governance Documents that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our shareholders to receive a premium for their shares of Common Stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Common Stock.
Certain limitation-of-liability and indemnification provisions in our Governance Documents may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties, may reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit the Company and other shareholders, and may adversely impact shareholders’ investments to the extent that the Company pays the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers as required by these indemnification provisions.
Our Articles of Incorporation contain provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by the CBCA. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our shareholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, except liability for:
any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to us or our shareholders;
any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; or
any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.
Our Bylaws require us to indemnify our directors and officers, and allow us to indemnify other employees and agents, to the fullest extent permitted by the CBCA. Subject to certain limitations and limited exceptions, our Bylaws require us to advance expenses incurred by our directors and officers for the defense of any action for which indemnification is required or permitted.
While we believe that including the limitation-of-liability and indemnification provisions in our Governance Documents and indemnification agreements is necessary to attract and retain qualified persons such as directors, officers, and key employees, those provisions may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and officers for breaches of their fiduciary duties. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit the Company and other shareholders. Further, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against directors and officers, and advance expenses as required by these indemnification provisions. Claims for indemnification by our directors and officers may reduce our available funds to third-party us and may reduce the amount of money available to us. Moreover, while we maintain directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, such insurance may not be adequate to cover all liabilities that we may incur, which may reduce our available funds to third-party and may impact our cash position.
If securities analysts do not publish research or reports, or publish unfavorable research or reports, about us, our business, our Common Stock, or our market, the price of shares of our Common Stock and our trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our Common Stock will be influenced by the research and reports that securities analysts publish about us and our business. Equity research analysts may elect not to provide research coverage of our Common Stock, and such lack of research coverage may adversely affect the market price of our Common Stock. In the event we do have equity research coverage, we will not have any control over the analysts, or the content and opinion included in their reports. The price of our stock could decline if one or more analysts covering our business downgrade their evaluations of our Common Stock or issue other unfavorable or inaccurate commentary or research. If one or more analysts cease coverage of the Company or fails to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the market for our Common Stock and demand for our Common Stock could decrease, which in turn would cause our stock price or trading volume to decline.
Shareholders’ ownership interest may be diluted significantly through our efforts to obtain financing and satisfy obligations through issuance of additional shares .
Our Articles of Incorporation authorizes our Board of Directors to issue up to 144,000,000 shares of Common Stock, 1,000,000 shares of Class B Non-Voting Common Stock, and up to 5,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, of which we have designated 1,342 as Series B 4 Preferred Stock. The power of the Board of Directors to issue shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, warrants, or options to purchase shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock is generally not subject to shareholder approval, except for issuances of more than 20% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock or its voting power.
While we have completed several capital raises utilizing multiple financial institutions, we may attempt to raise additional capital by returning to the market to sell shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock, possibly at a discount to the market price of our Common Stock. These actions may result in dilution of the ownership interests and voting power of existing shareholders, further dilute Common Stock book value, and may delay, defer, or prevent a change of control.
Our outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock entitle the holders thereof to dividends. Additionally, other series of Preferred Stock may carry the preferred right to our assets upon liquidation, the right to receive dividend payments before dividends are distributed to the holders of Common Stock, superior voting or conversion rights, and the right to the redemption of the shares, together with a premium, prior to the redemption of our Common Stock.
A significant portion of our total outstanding shares of Common Stock are eligible to be sold into the market in the near future, including pursuant to Rule 144, which could cause the market price of our Common Stock to drop significantly, even if our business is doing well.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our Common Stock in the public market could occur at any time. These sales, or the perception in the market that the holders of a large number of shares intend to sell shares, could reduce the market price of our Common Stock. We have also registered all shares of Common Stock that are reserved for issuance under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2023 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan. As a result, these shares can be freely sold in the public market upon issuance, subject to volume limitations applicable to affiliates and certain lock-up agreements that our officers and directors are subject to. A sale under Rule 144 or under any other exemption from the Securities Act, if available, or pursuant to subsequent registrations of our shares of Common Stock, may have a depressive effect upon the price of our shares of Common Stock in any active market that may develop. We believe that a significant portion of our total outstanding shares of Common Stock may be sold in the public market without restriction by non-affiliates pursuant to Rule 144 after this offering.
The financial and operational projections that we may make from time to time are subject to inherent risks.
The projections that our management may provide from time to time will reflect numerous assumptions made by management, including assumptions with respect to our specific as well as general business, regulatory, economic, market, and financial conditions and other matters, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, there is a risk that the assumptions made in preparing the projections, or the projections themselves, will prove inaccurate. There may be differences between actual and projected results, and actual results may be materially different from those contained in the projections.
Risks Related to Being and Reporting as a Public Company
If we fail to establish and maintain an effective system of internal control or disclosure controls and procedures are not effective, we may not be able to report our financial results accurately and timely or to prevent fraud. Any inability to report and file our financial results accurately and timely could harm our reputation and adversely impact the trading price of our Common Stock.
Effective internal controls are necessary for us to provide reliable financial reports and effectively prevent fraud. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “ Sarbanes-Oxley Act ”) requires us to evaluate and report on our internal controls over financial reporting and, depending on our future growth, may require our independent registered public accounting firm to annually attest to our evaluation, as well as issue its own opinion on our internal controls over financial reporting. The process of implementing and maintaining proper internal controls and complying with Section 404 is expensive and time consuming. We cannot be certain that the measures we undertake will ensure that we maintain adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future, nor can we be certain that we will comply with any requirements that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements. Furthermore, if we are able to rapidly grow our business, the internal controls that we will need may become more complex, and significantly more resources will be required to ensure our internal controls remain effective. Failure to implement required controls or difficulties encountered in their implementation could our operating results or cause us to to meet our reporting obligations. If we or our auditors discover a material in our internal controls, the disclosure of that fact, even if the is quickly remedied, could investors’ confidence in our financial statements and our stock price. In addition, non-compliance with Section 404 could subject us to a variety of administrative sanctions, including the of trading, for future listing on the NYSE American LLC or other national securities exchanges, and the of registered broker-dealers to make a market in our Common Stock, which may reduce our stock price.
We are an “emerging growth company” and a “smaller reporting company,” and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies and smaller reporting companies may make our Common Stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, and we intend to take advantage of some of the exemptions from reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including:
being permitted to provide only two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;
not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting;
not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements;
reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation; and
not being required to hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation or obtain shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
In addition, as an “emerging growth company” the JOBS Act allows us to delay adoption of new or revised accounting pronouncements applicable to public companies until such pronouncements are made applicable to private companies, unless we later irrevocably elect not to avail ourselves of this exemption. We have elected to use this extended transition period under the JOBS Act. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to the financial statements of issuers who are required to comply with the effective dates for new or revised accounting standards that are applicable to public companies, which may make comparison of our financials to those of other public companies more difficult. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year (1) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, (2) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (3) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Common Stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700.0 million as of September 30 of the prior year; and (ii) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
We are also a “smaller reporting company,” meaning that the market value of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates plus the proposed aggregate amount of gross proceeds to us as a result of our initial public offering is less than $700 million, and our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. We are therefore entitled to rely on certain reduced disclosure requirements for as long as we remain a smaller reporting company, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and, similar to emerging growth companies, providing reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation. In addition, as long as we are a smaller reporting company with less than $100 million in annual revenue, we would be exempt from the requirement to obtain an external audit on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting provided in Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. These exemptions and reduced disclosures in our SEC filings due to our status as a smaller reporting company make it harder for investors to analyze our results of operations and financial prospects. To the extent we take advantage of the reduced disclosure obligations available for smaller reporting companies, it may be difficult or impossible to compare our financial statements with other public companies. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which (i) the market value of shares of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $250 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter, or (ii) our annual revenues exceed $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our Common Stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of that year’s second fiscal quarter.
Investors may find our find our Common Stock less attractive to the extent we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our Common Stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Common Stock, and our stock price may be more volatile.
Our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent or detect all errors or acts of fraud.
We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. We designed our disclosure controls and procedures to reasonably assure that information we must disclose in reports we file or submit under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, and recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. We believe that any disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls and procedures, no matter how well-conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the control system are met.
These inherent limitations include the realities that judgments in decision-making can be faulty, and that breakdowns can occur because of simple errors or mistake. For example, our directors or executive officers could inadvertently fail to disclose a new relationship or arrangement causing us to fail to make any related-party transaction disclosures.
Additionally, controls can be circumvented by the individual acts of some persons, by collusion of two or more people, or by an unauthorized override of the controls. Accordingly, because of the inherent limitations in our control system, misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
Future changes in financial accounting standards or practices may cause adverse and unexpected revenue fluctuations and adversely affect our reported results of operations.
Future changes in financial accounting standards may cause adverse, unexpected revenue fluctuations and affect our reported financial position or results of operations. Financial accounting standards in the United States are constantly under review and new pronouncements and varying interpretations of pronouncements have occurred with frequency in the past and are expected to occur again in the future. As a result, we may be required to make changes in our accounting policies. Those changes could affect our financial condition and results of operations or the way in which such financial condition and results of operations are reported. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from business activities to compliance activities. See the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Recent Accounting Pronouncements.”
There are many risks associated with forward-looking information in this Annual Report.
Much of the information presented in this Annual Report contains forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the forward-looking statements have reasonable bases, it cannot offer any assurance that it will be able to conduct the operations as contemplated. You should carefully review all of the information and assumptions contained in this Annual Report with your legal, tax, financial, investment, and accounting advisors.
