Promoters of CLA concert scheduled to feature Lil Wayne say no refunds

To refund or not to refund?

That’s the question anyone who had ticket’s to Saturday’s Fall Ball at Colonial Life Arena wants answered.

Event promoters say there won’t be a refund while arena representatives say they’re still working on a resolution.

The issue of refunds has been raised because Lil Wayne, who was scheduled to perform at the event, refused to pass through a security check to enter the arena, and skipped the concert.

In a statement release just after midnight Sunday, Colonial Life Arena said it will provide refunds starting on Monday. That has since changed.

That’s because concert promoters have responded, saying they have decided not to offer refunds.

“After careful consideration and a consultation with our attorneys we collectively have decided not to offer refunds for the 2nd Annual Fall Ball 2017,” promoters from Victory Promotions, Ben Hated, LLC. and MTS Entertainment said in a letter to Colonial Life Arena that was also sent as a news release.

Representatives of Colonial Life Arena said they received the letter about retracting the offer to refund tickets. They said they are negotiating with the promoters but stated no refunds will be made on Monday at 10 a.m. as originally planned.

“CLA disagrees with that decision. We are in discussions with the promoters and will continue to represent the interest of our patrons regarding refunds,” the statement from Colonial Life Arena said. “As we continue to seek a positive outcome for our patrons, we ask for your patience and apologize for this inconvenience.”

The promoters reason for denying a refund? The say Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., wasn’t the event’s headliner.

“Each artist on the 2nd Annual Fall Ball is a headlining act in their own right,” the promoters statement said. “All of our flyers and promotions has never once mentioned Lil Wayne as the headliner nor mentioned this as a Lil Wayne concert.”

The Fall Ball also featured 2 Chainz, Tory Lanez and Cardi B. Those performers’ concerts took place as planned.

In fact, the promoters said it was their preference to have Cardi B perform as the last act of the night since she has a single in the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100. The promoters explained both 2Chainz and Lil Wayne both threatened to cancel if Cardi B was the last act to perform.

“We respectfully ask that the refund request be retracted immediately,” the promoters said.

Lil Wayne’s representative didn’t respond to an email seeking comment Sunday.

He spent eight months in a New York City jail for gun possession after police found the weapon on his tour bus as he left a 2007 concert.

This story was originally published October 1, 2017 at 5:48 PM with the headline "Promoters of CLA concert scheduled to feature Lil Wayne say no refunds."