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You might assume Billy McFarland would go to great lengths to ensure the second installment of his infamous Fyre Festival would go off without a hitch. However, there are already some red flags being raised after officials on the island where the upcoming event is supposedly being held said they’re totally in the dark about the event.
By now, I assume most people are familiar with the fiasco that unfolded when hundreds of people flocked to the Bahamas in 2017 for Fyre Festival, the ill-fated gathering that led to mastermind Billy McFarland landing in prison after he pled guilty to defrauding investors and attendees out of more than $26 million.
McFarland was ultimately incarcerated for around four years and didn’t waste any time attempting to mount a comeback after being released in 2022.
After spending a couple of years hinting it was only a matter of time until he attempted to bring Fyre Festival back from the dead, he confirmed a second event was in the works last year before tickets—which range from $1,400 to $1.1 million—went on sale in February.
Fyre Festival 2 is slated to take place on Isla Mujeres, a Mexican island off of the coast of Cancun, from May 30th to June 2nd, and attendees are being lured in with the promise of nightly performances from musical acts that have yet to be announced to supplement daytime activities that include “water adventures, extreme sports, leisure and wellness, and cultural and creative activities.”
McFarland has had eight years to prepare for Fyre Festival 2 and learn from the logistical nightmare that caused the first one to be a massive failure, so you’d probably assume he’s working closely in conjunction with local officials to make sure the event runs as smoothly as possible.
However, it does not appear that’s actually the case when you consider The Guardian spoke to Edgar Gasca, a member of the tourism directorate for Isla Mujeres, who had this to say after he learned it was the site of Fyre Festival 2:
“We have no knowledge of this event, nor contact with any person or company about it. For us, this is an event that does not exist…
This festival is not going to happen. There are red flags all over the place.”
He noted none of the hotels listed as official accommodations for the event had been contacted about it and added no one has reached out to the local government seeking the permits that would be required to hold it.
The outlet received statements from two companies McFarland hired to handle the bulk of the Fyre Festival 2 logistics disputing those claims while asserting they “have established contact with the municipal and state authorities” and secured top-tier private venues and hotels in partnership with our local allies who have established communications with the corresponding authorities.”
I’ll let you decide who to believe here, but I don’t have to think too hard about the side I’m picking.
Content shared from brobible.com.