Hell hath no fury like a Dallas fan scorned. And after hundreds of ticket-holding enthusiasts were shut out of the television series’ 30th anniversary party at the Southfork Ranch in Plano, Texas, Saturday night, fury is in no short supply.
Lax security let plenty of crashers waltz into the cast reunion before the fear of overcrowding prompted organizers to deny access to ticketed attendees. The aftermath sparked a public round of blame-tossing between venue management and event production. Event producer and Austin Media Group principal Jason Hardison explained to the Associated Press that a crowd of 4,000 (double the number that paid between $100 and $1,000 for various levels of access) overwhelmed the venue’s ill-equipped security.
Southfork Ranch does not agree. A spokesperson for Arizona-based Forever Resorts, which owns the ranch, claims that Hardison’s assessment of the crowd size is greatly exaggerated and that the venue’s security responsibilities were limited to providing off-duty police officers in the area where alcohol was served.
The only thing both parties can agree on is their regret over the disappointed fans, whose colorful descriptions of the party included “huge letdown,” “total chaos,“ and “a slap in the face.”
