NEW ORLEANS -- Two members of the Audubon Nature Institute’s board said Wednesday that they would resign after facing questions about Audubon deals and contracts that could have directly benefited companies they own or direct.
Three weeks ago, WWL-TV reported that Audubon had proposed a contract for a new soccer complex on public land controlled by the agency – an agreement that would have required the facility’s managers to purchase alcohol from Crescent Crown Distributing and, “wherever possible,” to sell brands owned by Sazerac Co.
Both of those companies are controlled by two Audubon board members — Jeffrey Goldring and Paul Fine.
“To avoid any further appearance of a conflict of interest, we are resigning any involvement with Audubon,”
Goldring and Fine said in a statement provided by Bill Goldring, chairman of the board of Sazerac and Crescent Crown and Jeffrey Goldring’s father.
After the initial WWL-TV report March 16, Audubon’s attorneys quickly removed the beverage requirement from the proposed soccer complex contract. And less than two weeks later, backers of the soccer complex, which would have been situated on a piece of land known as the “Fly,” decided to kill the project entirely, facing opposition from neighbors who often use the same area for recreation.
The deal would have been the only Audubon contract to specifically require the sale of Crescent Crown and Sazerac products, but WWL-TV later received more contracts showing that Audubon began demanding “sole discretion” over alcoholic beverage agreements and sponsorships for all events on Audubon-controlled property, starting in 2014.
Audubon says there has been language in its event contracts for years requiring organizers to get consent from Audubon to solicit new sponsorships from tobacco or liquor companies. But since 2014, it found stronger language was needed.
“It had become increasingly difficult to ascertain from organizers the event sponsors, so stronger language was added,” Audubon said in a statement. “Audubon is protective of its image and needs assurances prior to events held on our property that sponsor brands do not conflict with ours.”
Audubon’s board passed a resolution in 1992 vowing to give preference to Goldring-family beverage companies in recognition of their sizable contributions to the zoo and parks, but it hasn’t yielded Sazerac or Crescent Crown any edge over their competitors. A member of Crescent Crown’s board told the station that “Sazerac only does 14 percent of liquor and wine purchases at Audubon facilities and is only the fourth-leading vendor.”
The statement from Goldring and Fine announcing their resignations from Audubon’s board also noted some of those concerns.
“Over 30 years ago, Stephen Goldring and his business partner, Malcolm Woldenberg, gave the cornerstone gift to help transform the Audubon Zoo and create Woldenberg Park,” the statement from Goldring and Fine said. “In honor of their efforts, Audubon passed a 1992 resolution naming their companies as preferred vendors. Even so, many competing products are always available at Audubon venues.”
Goldring joined the Audubon board in 2013 and Fine in 2011.
Audubon board chairman Joseph Jaeger received their letters of resignation Wednesday.
“On behalf of the Audubon Nature Institute board, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Goldring and Mr. Fine for their years of support and generosity,” Jaeger said.
Audubon provides a standard beverage bar menu for individuals and groups who rent out Audubon facilities for special events, such as the Tea Room or the Aquarium of the Americas. That menu is mostly comprised of Sazerac-owned liquor brands, with a few competitors’ brands offered as part of the high-end “Premium Bar” and “Super Premium Bar” selections.
Although there is no exclusivity contract, all beer offered by Audubon for catered events are brands distributed by the Goldring-owned Crescent Crown.