June 27, 2010 -- The Jimmy Buffett concert appears to be riddled in scandal and it hasn't even had a chance yet to help. A recent article in the Baldwin County Newspaper yesterday talks about the process of getting Mr. Buffett as well as others to the area to enjoy an afternoon at a concert in hopes to avoid future BP OIl claims. This concert is suppose to help the locals and help the community's economy. In a massive campaign that has been put forth couching it is a charity event, behind the scenes it appears to be smoke and mirrors.
According to the local newspaper, it says that the concert will be paid for by BP oil. The Baldwin County Newspaper is quoted as mentioning the cash came from BP Oil as a claim. Malone said the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Alabama Tourism Department are sponsoring the show using BP money.
'“We told (BP) the best thing they can do is if they will help us get customers down here, which is what we do best, and it will relieve some of the claims process and burden,’’ Councilman Stephen Jones said' quotes the newspaper.
Now locals in Paradise Pier are upset as they aren't getting many of the tickets to the concert. Instead they were denied, even though they too have been hurt. According to one resident who is suffering from the crisis, the majority of tickets were given to timeshare and rental agencies.
"A huge lot of those tickets went to rental agents to pass out to those who rent. What are they gonna do with the left over tickets? And those businesses are being compensated from BP so why a concert to bring the people. What about the locals who don't own businesses. We have had our lives severely altered also. We had our public beaches/pier taken from us. Don't we deserve a concert just to support our loss?" says CH Diamond a local resident.
In addition to the idea that the tickets won't go to locals, the newspaper shares that there will be many going to government officials in the surrounding areas. Craft said state and local officials from other Gulf Coast states would be invited to the event. (Baldwin County Newspaper.)
This concert was to help the people, yet seeminly its helping everyone but the people. No word on whether the BP Oil cash will be paying for Jimmy Buffett to perform or his expenses. It is highly likely it will be as he has never said that his time was free.
This is so disappointing. We watch CNN interview people daily who can't get their BP Oil claim reviewed fast enough to put food on the table for their children. In Louisiana, just a state away, they have the cash from BP Oil to put on a Jimmy Buffett concert and they didn't even invite the locals.
Comments
"In Louisiana, just a state away, they have the cash from BP Oil to put on a Jimmy Buffett concert and they didn't even invite the locals."
The concert is in ALABAMA - not Louisiana - get your facts straight or don't write articles you know nothing about. You might want to spell check as well. This is not Buffett's fault or issue, it is an issue of Ticketmaster and THE LOCAL TOWN OFFICIALS who chose where to allow him to play and how to ticket. There wre MANY options and the TOWN made a bad choice for THEIR people. How unprofessional you are.
How about some integrity? You re-hash an article you apparently read somwhere and CAN'T even get the facts straight. I can't believe examiner lets you get away with printing false crap like this.
I am embarrassed for you. Pitiful.
The locals going to a concert ain't helping the locals ... 35,000 people coming in from other places to see the concert (and leaving lots of $$$ behind when they leave) is helping the locals. In Gulf Shores, Alabama.
This article is a joke. Oh poor people. They were not denied tickets, they just didn't get online fast enough to get them.
First of all the concert should not be labled a charity event. Only certain buisness sectors are reaping any financial gains. The charter fisherman,shrimpers,deck hands and others will not get any finacial compensation from this concert. Yes it is nice to see Jimmy Buffet but lets face it he came because BP put up the money, he did not volunteer to come. There is a diffence in in charity and getting money from Bp when you have personally suffered no loss from there negligence. A bandaid concert will not stop the leak in the gulf. Gulfshores should have taken a more proactive role in decideing how ticket sales were going to be handled. Instead they let someone else dictate what happens in there community and now the citizens feel dejected and depressed because of there poor leadership. This is there community not ticket master, BP, or Jimmy Buffet as far as that goes.
I know for a fact that the city directed how many tickets were to be given away and how many were to be held for local businesses.
Pitiful reporting.
@ Me - "The charter fisherman,shrimpers,deck hands and others will not get any finacial compensation from this concert."
Why should they? The locals I know in those jobs are already working for BP.
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