When the Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival opens today, it will be missing a large and popular event: the carnival midway in the Memorial Coliseum parking lot.

In previous years, the carnival rides and attractions were operated by a private company that decided not to return this year, Mayumi Carboni, the festival’s executive director, said Thursday.

“They fund their own event, they run their own show. They decided not to come back this year. We have no control over it,” she said.

But there still will be a few carnival rides and games at the Meijer Fest Unlimited midway, which opens at 6 p.m. today at Headwaters Park.

Although the Coliseum carnival was referred to in some festival literature as the “Official Giant Midway,” it was only a festival-affiliated event, not a festival-sponsored event. Therefore, the festival isn’t losing money because of its absence, Carboni said.

The midway companies paid no ticket revenue to the festival; they paid only a $75 fee to be an affiliated event, she said.

One of the midway vendors, Florida-based Belle City Amusements Inc., no longer travels to Indiana, owner Charles Panacek said.

“Our commitment was over, and we’re not going to be there this year. We are limiting some mileage. (But) we always enjoyed it up there,” Panacek said.

A lawsuit filed in 2008 named Belle City Amusements, JMA Enterprises Productions and Services Inc., Doorway Promotions Inc. and the Memorial Coliseum board of trustees.

The lawsuit was filed by the victim of a 2005 shooting at the midway. The status of the lawsuit was unknown Thursday night.

Panacek said he didn’t know about the lawsuit.

Jerry White, festival board president, and Mark Pope, Coliseum board member, said the lawsuit was not a factor in the midway’s absence.

Neither was the recent demolition of Memorial Stadium, which shared the Coliseum parking lot.

“We know nothing about it. I think we were as surprised as anybody,” Pope said.

Carboni believes festival visitors will enjoy the carnival atmosphere of Headwaters Park just as much.

“It’s unfortunate we don’t have (the Coliseum midway), … but money-wise it doesn’t affect us,” Carboni said. “I’m expecting more people coming downtown.”

Admission to Meijer Fest Unlimited is free, but rides and games require the purchase of tickets.

The carnival is in the grassy area north of the pavilion in Headwaters Park. It will be open daily throughout the festival.

Carboni also said the festival was able to meet its sponsorship goals for this year, with at least 75 cash and in-kind donations from local businesses and two foundations.

sscarlett@jg.net