Gary Jacob said in a statement on Monday that ongoing differences with the Galt House Hotel led to the decision, adding that: "the Galt House thinks that somehow Abbey Road on the River is theirs." He offered little other detail.
The festival is held over the Memorial Day weekend on the Belvedere-adjacent to the Galt House-and nearby venues. Jacob says the Galt House undermined efforts to make the Marriott the host hotel next year.
He said he'll spend the next year trying to find someone in Louisville to buy the festival or find a new city and hotel along the I-71 corridor for the event.
Galt House officials said in a statement on Facebook that they're deeply disappointed in the decision and hope it will be reconsidered. Abbey Road on the River moved to Louisville from Cleveland in 2005.