Welcome to Rockville fans frustrated after days of severe weather cancelations
Daytona Beach, Fla. - Welcome to Rockville went off without a hitch Sunday after days of severe weather cancellations.
The four-day music festival, Welcome to Rockville, held at the Daytona International Speedway had some hiccups throughout the weekend as severe weather caused them to cancel several big names including, Guns N’ Roses, KORN, Megadeth, and Breaking Benjamin.
"It kind of sucks driving 15 hours to have some of the ones you drove down the see just not perform, and they don’t reschedule on Sunday," said Jen who was visiting from Ohio. "Just for general admission for three days it's $350. I don’t think we’ve had $300 worth of concerts to this point."
Rockville's organizers say since the bands are on tour, the canceled shows couldn't be rescheduled for Sunday.
They released a statement on Twitter Sunday thanking fans for their patience during the severe weather cancelations.
One Welcome to Rockville attendee told FOX 35 Orlando she spent about $1,500 for each of their VIP tickets, in addition to travel and hotel costs.
"It was kind of a $5,000 trip that we spent most of it in the grandstands and saw smaller bands, no offense to them, they were great, but not worth $5,000," said Melanie Graddi.
Some people heading to Welcome to Rockville say they'd like some kind of refund.
"I’m not expecting to get everything back, they still have to pay bands, or pay vendors, but I do feel like there could be something they come up with," Graddi said.
Welcome to Rockville organizers say they aren't issuing refunds because the festival is a rain or shine event.
"I think they should sympathize, maybe credit toward next year, a discount or something, but they’re as upset as we are, I’m not mad at them," another attendee added.
Consumer Rights Attorney Jared Lee says people should reach out to festival producers, Danny Wimmer Presents, or the company they got the ticket from and ask for one anyway.
"While the event might be promoting rain or shine, as being a reason not to give refunds, the ticket holder could argue that's an assurance that it wouldn't be canceled for weather reasons," said Lee. "Consumers have a couple of arguments they can raise. One is unjust enrichment, they paid for a benefit they didn’t receive another being false advertising. Making the statement it was going on rain or shine when that was clearly not what actually happened."
However, some fans say they understand the weather is out of their control.
"I didn’t really expect to have a refund," an attendee added. "It's kind of the way it is when you go to a show. If the weather ruins it, it ruins it."