Ultra and Miami are sued over withholding refunds

The promoters behind Ultra Music Festival and the city of Miami were sued Wednesday over allegations that ticket holders who bought tickets for the 2020 festival, which was canceled due to the pandemic, were deceived about getting refunds.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the 11th Judicial Circuit in MiamiDade County, contends that Event Entertainment

Group, the company behind Ultra, promised ticket holders who bought tickets for the March 20-22, 2020, festival — right when the pandemic was hitting Florida — that in lieu of a refund, their tickets could be transferred to the 2021 or 2022 versions of the festival.In January, Ultra said it was canceling its 2021 festival and was rescheduling it to 2022.

The eight-count classaction suit, filed by Corwin Law in Boca Raton, is seeking damages in excess of $15,000.

“It is totally unconscionable for the promoters to withhold refunds for two plus years, and for the City of Miami to allow it, with no guarantees that this event will be able to take place in 2022 or 2023,” said attorney Marcus Corwin, who filed the suit on behalf of Gabrielle Petroka and other Florida residents who purchased tickets to the 2020 Ultra Music Festival.

Neither Ultra nor the city of Miami responded to the Herald’s emails or phone calls about this suit.

Ultra was originally canceled in early March 2020 due to the fear of COVID-19 spread, as the festival attracts thousands of people.

At the time, the festival promoters told ticket holders that the festival, held at Bayfront Park in Miami, had been “postponed” to 2021. But that wasn’t guaranteed to happen under the festival’s contract with the City of Miami.

Ultra deceptively promised ticket holders an enhanced benefits package for the 2021 festival instead of giving refunds, the lawsuit alleges.

However, ticket holders had to agree to release all legal claims against Ultra, waive their rights to initiate credit card charge-backs and agree to pay significant costs if arbitration was reached, the lawsuit said.

When 2021 came and the festival had yet again been canceled due to COVID-19, promoters once again offered promises of credits for the 2022 and 2023 festivals in lieu of refunds, the suit contends.

Corwin is also involved with another lawsuit against Event Entertainment Group over the refund issue. That suit has been combined with other lawsuits in federal court, and the parties are seeking a settlement.

Devoun Cetoute: 305-376-2026, @devoun_cetoute