NORTH LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The first ever Las Vegas Balloon Glow at Craig Ranch Park promised an evening with the soft glow of colorful hot air balloons and tethered rides. It was advertised as a family friendly event attracting people like Michelle Gilman from Denver.
"I thought this would be something special and different to do," Gilman said. "Some friends live not too far from here, and I decided let's all do it together."
The event put on by the company Midflo was supposed to run from Thursday to Sunday with tickets ranging from $20 to $60.
But event organizer Ricky Garvie told 13 Action News the balloons are sensitive to windy conditions and anything more than 7 mph poses a safety risk for the pilot, riders and the crowd.
"And it is windy as you can see," Gilman said, at the Orleans Hotel and Casino where she is staying for the weekend. "It is windy, so I do understand that does happen, but I think a lot of people were disappointed."
After seeing a very breezy weekend forecast and consulting with the city of North Las Vegas and the promoters, Garvie said the decision was made to postpone the event until October.
Gilman said she received an e-mail Wednesday morning letting her know of the cancellation.
Like a lot of other people, she immediately tried to contact Midflo for a refund.
When she couldn't get through, she went to the event's Facebook page and left a message.
She said someone from the company called her shortly afterward.
"It's already been refunded in my account already," said Gilman. "I did check my account it was already there and so I was very impressed with that."
While some people expressed frustration online about getting through by phone Garvie said anyone who contacts the company directly could get their money back. He wrote in a news release:
"We are in the business of providing fun events and making people smile. We do everything we can to take care of our guests and ensure that they have a positive experience with our company."
If you bought tickets and would like a refund, he says to call Midflo at (352) 432-9250 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Friday.
