JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hundreds of people were stuck outside Metropolitan Park Sunday afternoon when the Welcome to Rockville music festival was oversold and the park filled to capacity.
Authorities said the park filled up with about 11,000 people inside and it was getting to be dangerous. The fire marshal, with help from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and private security, started letting people in one at a time, only after someone else left.
Fans who bought tickets were angry after the show's promoter oversold the show.
"We're standing here waiting, out in the sun; there are no facilities, no water, no one coming out to address the issue that we had," concertgoer Norman Schaeffer said. "I wouldn't have bought tickets if I knew they went over capacity. That's ridiculous."
Right Arm Entertainment, the show's promoter, sent Channel 4 this statement:
"Unfortunately, we had some technical problems today. Our ticket count did not match the city's ticket count. Rather than risk a dangerous over capacity, a decision was made to control the flow of entrance," Danny Wimmer said.
Many people left before the gates reopened, but everyone who did wait it out eventually got in.
Early Monday morning, the promoter notified Channel 4 that refunds are available to anyone with tickets who was turned away.
"For those who understandably chose not to wait, refunds will be issued on all unused tickets," Wimmer said.