The city council in Lethbridge, Alta., has tightened the rules for concerts at the city-owned Enmax Centre after hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg allegedly smoked marijuana on stage.

Under new rules passed Monday, Snoop Dogg will have to post a performance bond before a show and then refrain from breaking the law on stage — or encouraging others to break the law — to get that money back.

Hip-hop artist Snoop Dogg appears on stage during MTV's Total Request Live show in April at the MTV Times Square Studios in New York.
(Jeff Christensen/Associated Press)

"There are some celebrities, whether they are athletes or models or entertainers, who can sometimes think they can flaunt the law," Mayor Robert Tarleck said Tuesday. "And if every community allows them to come in and do that, they will continue to do it."

The debate fired up after the city received complaints about Snoop Dogg's conduct during a concert in January. The performer allegedly smoked marijuana on stage while encouraging the audience to do the same.

Ashley Matthews, general manager of the Enmax Centre, said the bond has nothing to do with offensive behaviour and will only apply to performers who break the law or encourage others to break the law.

"If they drop the F-bomb continuously, that's not illegal," he said. "It's offensive, but not illegal."

Under the new rules, his staff will have to talk to police before booking a band, as well as research the artist's background and look for problems that occurred at other venues.

The concert can't go ahead without co-operation from the promoter to prevent any problems from happening on stage, Matthews said. If artists break the rules, they'll be subject to the bond next time they want to perform in Lethbridge.

So far, the only act the bond would apply to is Snoop Dogg, Matthews said.