ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The city of St. Augustine says it will not be holding a "Running with the Bulls" event as part of its 450th anniversary in 2015, as the promoter had proposed.
"The city of St. Augustine's staff meets with hundreds of people who offer ideas for special events to be held in the city, and all are invited to present well thought out, organized plans," the city said in a statement.
"Phil Immordino, promoter of Running of the Bulls, an event held last week in Arizona, had proposed a similar event for St. Augustine and said so in the media. While Mr. Immordino did discuss such an event with the city's 450th Commemoration director, Dana Ste. Claire, he has not submitted any of the required plans to the city. It is unfortunate that Mr. Immordino's comments regarding the possibility of holding such an event in St. Augustine, which appeared in an Associated Press story, was interpreted by many as a 'done deal.'"
St. Augustine City Manager John Regan said such an event will not be held in the nation's oldest city.
"City staff has determined that Mr. Immordino's event, or any similar event, will not be approved because the event would pose an unacceptable level of liability for the city," Regan said.
Eight people were injured in Saturday's event in Arizona, which drew more than 500 runners. One runner suffered serious injuries.
City staff involved in developing plans for St. Augustine's 450th anniversary in 2015 said they're constantly seeking events to commemorate the city's rich history and its ties to Spanish culture, but staging a running of the bulls is not one of those events.
For more information on the city's 450th Commemoration, visit www.staugustine-450.com.