A Florida couple is seeking retribution from the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena after claims of misconduct from an employee during a concert.
In Orlando, Corene Fry received P!nk concert tickets from her partner for Christmas.
The couple planned and prepared for their trip to Jacksonville to see P!ink on March 5. However, they later drove back “humiliated” after an incident with an arena usher and security.
Fry said the tickets were purchased online through Ticketmaster. She sent a copy of the ticket and receipt to Action News Jax. She said the tickets got them into the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
An usher led them to their seats, then took the piece of paper that had their tickets printed on them.
"I’m heartbroken. This was a gift for me. We’re humiliated and still angry."
— Elizabeth Pace (@PaceAnJax) March 8, 2019
Confusion over arena seats quickly escalates when this woman says the usher became "aggressive" and threw them out. Now she's demanding for her money back from the venue. Story at 5:55 on CBS47. pic.twitter.com/zFVmAi7WI7
“We thought nothing of it until she (usher) came back to our row, was seating another couple and asked to see our tickets,” Fry said. “We told her she had retained them when she first initially sat us down.”
Fry and her partner were taken out of their assigned section and security escorted them out of the arena.
“She (usher) was extremely aggressive with us,” Fry said. “She escalated an easy solution situation. I don’t understand why she would’ve kept the tickets. I don’t understand why she had the anger and the attitude that she did. When the officers were there she kept screaming, ‘Don’t touch me, don’t touch me!’ at me and I was baffled.”
The couple found their original tickets online and tried to regain access to the venue. However, security met them at the gate and threatened to arrest them.
“There was no reason given,” Fry said. “She (usher) was escalating the whole situation. I don’t know quite what she was saying to the officers, but they acted by removing us. We weren’t being disruptive in any way. We were compliant. I totally don’t understand.”
The ticket receipt shows Fry and her partner paid more than $300 for their tickets. Fry has since reached out to the general manager of the venue about the situation and asked to be reimbursed.
“We’re both absolutely devastated,” Fry said. “I’m heartbroken. This was a gift for me. My partner is heartbroken. We’re humiliated and still angry. This is so unjust.”
Action News Jax Reporter Elizabeth Pace reached out to the management company to learn if the alleged incident has been reported, details about the usher and security officers involved, and to learn the security system for verifying patrons’ tickets.
“It really highlights the security system within these big venues,” Fry said. “We know in this day in age, security has got to be tight and if they’re questioning the fact that people may be able to get into a large venue like that without a ticket, that is a huge red flag as far as security goes.”
The management company has since responded to Action News Jax's request and said they are opening up an internal investigation into the incident.
A spokesperson also said their general manager has personally responded to Fry’s message about her concerns.
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