Photo Credit: Jose Vazquez
Tickets for Fyre Festival went on sale this week—so why doesn’t the local government and tourism board for Isla Mujeres know?
Convicted fraudster Billy McFarland spoke with Today.com about the festival in an interview this week. McFarland said the second version of the festival would take place in Isla Mujeres to take advantage of existing infrastructure. One of the pain points for the original was the remote location of the Bahamas island—with very little infrastructure to support a massive music festival.
But The Guardian reports that the local government in Isla Mujeres has denied knowledge of the festival. “We have no knowledge of this event, nor contact with any person or company about it,” Edgar Gasca, a representative from the tourism directorate of Isla Mujeres told the news outlet. “For us, this is an event that does not exist.”
Tickets went on sale ranging from $1,400 to $1.1 million and promising lofty experiences—much like the first Fyre Festival. During that Today interview, McFarland admitted that no headliners have signed on to perform. “Fyre 2 is real, my dream is finally becoming a reality,” McFarland said in that interview.
Edgar Gasca says he has spoken with the minister for tourism in the state of Quintana Roo and the hotels listed by the Fyre Festival website. None of them have heard of plans to host the festival. Impression Isla Mujeres, a luxury hotel touted by Fyre Festival as an accommodation partner, says it has not seen “any approach or enquiry with regards to the event.”
“The organizers didn’t even bother to approach the authorities,” Gasca confirms. “It’s very strange, because any manager knows that if you’re going to hold an event, let alone a massive event, you need municipal authorization. I think they thought they would just announce it and see if it got traction, then ask for permits halfway down the path,” Gasca says. “It’s a bit of a naive way to think.”
The local tourism board put out a statement saying no permits have been sought, while organizers for the festival said they were working on it. “We’re producing a highly exclusive, boutique and sustainable experience for Fyre Festival 2, set for May 30 – June 2,” Lostnights, producers of the event told The Guardian. “Fyre Festival 2 has secured top-tier private venues and hotels in partnership with our local allies who have established communications with the corresponding authorities to ensure full compliance and flawless execution.”
Meanwhile, Gasca says “This festival is not going to happen. There are red flags all over the place. If you go on their website and take the coordinates they provide, then put them in Google Maps, it takes you to the ocean—between Cancún and Isla Mujeres,” he says.
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