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BRIDGET HALL GRUMETHowever, some people are accusing organizers of the Italian music fest of carrying out a scam.
NEW PORT RICHEY - The letter offered a brief apology, little explanation, no contact information and no return address.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have to cancel the Nov. 22 (Viva Italiano) Festival at Sims Park," reads the letter that went to several sponsors and hundreds of ticket holders this week.
The letter said the organizers at Viva Italiano Inc. were "deeply disappointed and very sorry" about canceling the 10-hour music festival, which would have featured Connie Francis, Frankie Ford and the Four Ladds as the headline acts.
"We are attempting to either reschedule the festival or refund the monies owed," the letter concludes. "We will be in touch with you soon."
It turns out ticket sales - or the lack thereof - doomed the event, said Ed Morelli, a promoter who helped organize the festival.
Organizers hoped to draw 2,500 spectators, according to their permit application with the city of New Port Richey. Only "a few hundred" tickets had been sold, Morelli told the Pasco Times on Thursday.
"I think it was just a lack of interest shown by the public," Morelli said.
Debra Terry, president of Viva Italiano Inc., the Port Richey company organizing the event, did not return calls Thursday. But Morelli said refunds are in the works.
"Everybody's first thought when the show was canceled is, "It's a scam,' but this was no scam," Morelli said. "These artists had (been paid) deposits, the advertising was all paid. I know they have put out a lot of money."
The abrupt cancellation surprised vendors and ticket holders alike, with many wondering when - or if - they will get their money back. Some have called the ticket sales phone number, only to get a recording saying the event has been canceled.
Agnes Albanese, a New Port Richey woman who bought four $25 tickets, immediately disputed the purchase with her credit card company.
"A lot of these people are older people that would know these (music) groups," said Albanese, 51. "They're just ripping off all the older people in the area that would like to have seen this concert and believed it was real."
More than a dozen local restaurants signed up to sell food at the event. Each one paid a couple of hundred dollars in vendor fees to the organizers, not to mention the cost of supplies.
"This was a prime opportunity to show the Italian people in town who we are," said Tasos Stassi, owner of Stassi's Restaurante and Pizzeria, which has been open for 14 months. "I've got cases of stuff sitting here - pens, T-shirts - and I hope they have some other event where we could use it."
Although Morelli said he only helped with a few aspects of the festival, he has promoted other events that similarly fizzled. In 1997, he canceled the Legends of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame concert in Port Richey, citing permitting problems. He also has a larceny conviction in Michigan for taking money for a Tom Jones concert that never happened.
-Bridget Hall Grumet can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is bhall@sptimes.com