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"It turns out that the logistics of throwing giant festivals in remote locations are difficult!" I agree with your statement, but I'm not even sure it applies

"It turns out that the logistics of throwing giant festivals in remote locations are difficult!" I agree with your statement, but I'm not even sure it applies here. The organizers were charging up to $400,000 a ticket (!) including promises of chartered planes and geodesic domes. They provided none of it, the location is described as "dangerous", and it appears no performers showed up. But they did provide some sort of commercial flights back, which probably cost about $199 each. Sounds like a profitable scheme, particularly if the organizers are basically unknown and now simple disappear with the cash.

tim333 10y ago
It does have the look of a scam to steal the money. I mean if they were in any way decent you'd think they'd have shipped food and some of the other stuff they promised.
k-mcgrady 10y ago
They've already stated they're refunding everyone and providing VIP passes to next year's event (doubt that last bit will happen). As for 'disappearing' one of the organizers is Ja Rule a very well known hip-hop artist so unlikely.
- filmgirlcw 10y ago
  If you think Ja Rule won't just let the business entity declare bankruptcy while he continues to tweet "NOT MY FAULT" because he used to have hits (the last time he charted was 2004), you are very naive. It seems very unlikely that everyone who paid will get their money back. Ironically, it's probably the people that paid the most/have the most "influence" will be reimbursed the fastest (if at all), because the "organizers" were most assuredly obsessed with status. The people that paid the least/have the least will almost definitely be the most screwed. They were asking people to sign pieces of paper for refunds. Come on. The co-founder of the event has a history of over-promising and under-delivering [1], Ja Rule hasn't had a hit in 13 years and is irrelevant, and the only people that probably got paid upfront were the models [2] that posted on Instagram but were then warned not to come to Miami [3]. [1]: http://www.businessinsider.com/magnises-complaints-from-members-2017-1 http://www.businessinsider.com/magnises-complaints-from-memb... [2]: https://news.vice.com/story/fyre-festivals-25-year-old-organizer-this-is-the-worst-day-of-my-life https://news.vice.com/story/fyre-festivals-25-year-old-organ... [3]: http://pagesix.com/2017/04/28/a-listers-told-to-avoid-disastrous-fyre-festival-before-it-began/ http://pagesix.com/2017/04/28/a-listers-told-to-avoid-disast...
  - stuaxo 10y ago
    I was meant to go to a festival but didn't get in along with many others because of bad organisation and overcrowding. There was some legal action, as far as I can tell this just ate the money and then we never saw anything.
ethbro 10y ago
As someone who has been to the Exumas, you're talking about small, non-volcanic populated Bahamian islands. I doubt the infrastructure was up to the standards of the club scene, but it's not like there aren't medical facilities, food, or water on Great Exuma. Even dropping a larger number of festival attenders (on an island with a normal population of 7,000), we're talking "dangerous" conditions in terms of "there's no air conditioned room for me to wait in" and "why hasn't anyone offered me champagne and caviar yet"? These kids need to learn to appreciate the beauty around them (it's an absolutely gorgeous place) and quit bitching that they don't have everything handed to them on a silver spoon. Or in other words, try traveling instead of being a tourist.
- jrfarina 10y ago
  Kids these days...
- taylorexpander 10y ago
  Who are you to tell other people how to live and what they can and can't enjoy?
  - ethbro 10y ago
    Me. And you're you. Article has an obvious slant, but as someone who's been to the area I'd agree that anyone who can't enjoy being there is too first world needy and/or lacks imagination.
- GuB-42 10y ago
  Getting thousands of unprepared people on an island with a limited food supply, not enough lodging and inadequate security is very dangerous. These are the ideal conditions to cause panic. In fact the article mentions that some the partygoers were all like "fuck that shit and let's just have fun" but changed their mind after assessing the situation.
  - ethbro 10y ago
    It's the Bahamas. I've never been on an island where the local fishing industry (incl neighboring islands) couldn't easily scale to feed a few thousand. Demand rather than supply limited. And the locals are likely happily selling fresh catch to tourists at $75 / fish. Lodging, sleep on the beach for a couple nights. This time of year, 80s every day. 70s every night. Security? If the security problem is the tourists themselves, then maybe they don't deserve to spend time in paradise. > "At first, she and her friends wanted to make the best of a bad situation, she said, "but then we saw how it started getting dangerous." She said the site didn't have enough security, lights, or food. > "You were promised chargers for your phone — did not get that," Busier said. "You were promised food — we were like starving. And you were promised safety, you were promised to be taken care of, you were promised an experience of a lifetime. And yes, it was quite the experience, but not in a positive way." I recognize that the article is somewhat of a hit piece. But if the above is the attendees making the best of a bad situation, then I expressed about as much sympathy as I have.
retox 10y ago
>up to $400,000 a ticket I haven't seen that figure anywhere, even the yacht rent ticket was 'only' $150,000 for ten people, including staff.
- droithomme 10y ago
  > I haven't seen that figure anywhere Where "anywhere" includes the NPR article under discussion, conveniently linked to in the discussion title?

tim333 10y ago

It does have the look of a scam to steal the money. I mean if they were in any way decent you'd think they'd have shipped food and some of the other stuff they promised.

k-mcgrady 10y ago

They've already stated they're refunding everyone and providing VIP passes to next year's event (doubt that last bit will happen). As for 'disappearing' one of the organizers is Ja Rule a very well known hip-hop artist so unlikely.

filmgirlcw 10y ago
If you think Ja Rule won't just let the business entity declare bankruptcy while he continues to tweet "NOT MY FAULT" because he used to have hits (the last time he charted was 2004), you are very naive. It seems very unlikely that everyone who paid will get their money back. Ironically, it's probably the people that paid the most/have the most "influence" will be reimbursed the fastest (if at all), because the "organizers" were most assuredly obsessed with status. The people that paid the least/have the least will almost definitely be the most screwed. They were asking people to sign pieces of paper for refunds. Come on. The co-founder of the event has a history of over-promising and under-delivering [1], Ja Rule hasn't had a hit in 13 years and is irrelevant, and the only people that probably got paid upfront were the models [2] that posted on Instagram but were then warned not to come to Miami [3]. [1]: http://www.businessinsider.com/magnises-complaints-from-members-2017-1 http://www.businessinsider.com/magnises-complaints-from-memb... [2]: https://news.vice.com/story/fyre-festivals-25-year-old-organizer-this-is-the-worst-day-of-my-life https://news.vice.com/story/fyre-festivals-25-year-old-organ... [3]: http://pagesix.com/2017/04/28/a-listers-told-to-avoid-disastrous-fyre-festival-before-it-began/ http://pagesix.com/2017/04/28/a-listers-told-to-avoid-disast...
- stuaxo 10y ago
  I was meant to go to a festival but didn't get in along with many others because of bad organisation and overcrowding. There was some legal action, as far as I can tell this just ate the money and then we never saw anything.

ethbro 10y ago

As someone who has been to the Exumas, you're talking about small, non-volcanic populated Bahamian islands. I doubt the infrastructure was up to the standards of the club scene, but it's not like there aren't medical facilities, food, or water on Great Exuma. Even dropping a larger number of festival attenders (on an island with a normal population of 7,000), we're talking "dangerous" conditions in terms of "there's no air conditioned room for me to wait in" and "why hasn't anyone offered me champagne and caviar yet"? These kids need to learn to appreciate the beauty around them (it's an absolutely gorgeous place) and quit bitching that they don't have everything handed to them on a silver spoon. Or in other words, try traveling instead of being a tourist.

jrfarina 10y ago
Kids these days...
taylorexpander 10y ago
Who are you to tell other people how to live and what they can and can't enjoy?
- ethbro 10y ago
  Me. And you're you. Article has an obvious slant, but as someone who's been to the area I'd agree that anyone who can't enjoy being there is too first world needy and/or lacks imagination.
GuB-42 10y ago
Getting thousands of unprepared people on an island with a limited food supply, not enough lodging and inadequate security is very dangerous. These are the ideal conditions to cause panic. In fact the article mentions that some the partygoers were all like "fuck that shit and let's just have fun" but changed their mind after assessing the situation.
- ethbro 10y ago
  It's the Bahamas. I've never been on an island where the local fishing industry (incl neighboring islands) couldn't easily scale to feed a few thousand. Demand rather than supply limited. And the locals are likely happily selling fresh catch to tourists at $75 / fish. Lodging, sleep on the beach for a couple nights. This time of year, 80s every day. 70s every night. Security? If the security problem is the tourists themselves, then maybe they don't deserve to spend time in paradise. > "At first, she and her friends wanted to make the best of a bad situation, she said, "but then we saw how it started getting dangerous." She said the site didn't have enough security, lights, or food. > "You were promised chargers for your phone — did not get that," Busier said. "You were promised food — we were like starving. And you were promised safety, you were promised to be taken care of, you were promised an experience of a lifetime. And yes, it was quite the experience, but not in a positive way." I recognize that the article is somewhat of a hit piece. But if the above is the attendees making the best of a bad situation, then I expressed about as much sympathy as I have.

retox 10y ago

>up to $400,000 a ticket I haven't seen that figure anywhere, even the yacht rent ticket was 'only' $150,000 for ten people, including staff.

droithomme 10y ago
> I haven't seen that figure anywhere Where "anywhere" includes the NPR article under discussion, conveniently linked to in the discussion title?