Council To Review All Options To Get Back Ticket Cash
By Robert Thomas
ZZ Top did not perform their signature songs on May 10th but for ticket purchasers for this concert, a High Valley Concert on May 28th as well as three Moose Jaw Warriors games getting refunds from Mosaic Place’s former contracted ticket service Ticket Rocket has not been a case of Give Me All Your Loving but rather one of a roadster seemingly speeding down the highway with the cash.
Today in an amendment to their initial Monday statement regarding ticket refunds the City of Moose Jaw announced in addition to exploring all options that those options will be presented in a detailed report at the September 8th Council meeting.
“The City of Moose Jaw continues to explore all options and will provide a detailed report along with recommendations to City Council for consideration at the next regular meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, September 8, 2020,” the City amended to their initial statement.
Refunds were expected to be received by August 22nd under a promise Ticket Rocket made to Ryan MacIvor general manager of Mosaic Place (Spectra Events Management) back in June but never materialized. The refunds were to be made for the cancelled May 10th ZZ Top concert, the cancelled May 28th High Valley concert as well as the March 14, 17 and 21st Moose Jaw Warriors games.
In the July 14th MJ Independent story MacIvor was also asked if ticket purchasers should seek refunds from their credit card companies and said it was something they could pursue if they chose to do so.
MJ Independent was previously contacted by several ticket purchasers who felt because Ticket Rocket was a subcontractor for Mosaic Place the facility or the City itself as the owner of the facility and who hired Spectra to operate Mosaic Place should ultimately be responsible for any and all refunds.
The reason for the event cancellations were the restrictions under the Province’s declared State of Emergency which did not allow events to take place in an effort to help prevent the further spread of COVID - 19.
Mosaic Place - MJ Independent file photo
Initially Mosaic Place took ticket purchaser’s information in an effort to speed up the refund process as the Ticket Rocket main office in Victoria, BC was closed due to that province’s COVID - 19 pandemic plan.
In answering questions from MJ Independent regarding the future use of the personal information ticket goers provided to Mosaic Place the City said they had been informed the information would be properly disposed of. The answer came weeks from the City after MJ Independent attempted to get it directly from Mosaic Place.
Ticket Rocket’s owner and boss Matthew Davey was according to news reports out of New Zealand has been under intense scrutiny and was the subject of a police investigation in that nation due to not providing refunds for two events - Hurricanes Sports Rugby and the Warbirds Over Wanaka.
Consumer New Zealand has advised ticket holders not yet receiving promised refunds within 60 days to seek relief (refunds) through their banks (credit card issuers).
Ticket Rocket's holding company, Fortress Information Systems, lost a court battle and had $676,000 NZD seized to cover an outstanding event from February.
Ticket Rocket boss and Victoria native Matthew Davey is no longer living in New Zealand but has returned to Canada.
It is unknown at this time if Ticket Rocket Canada is financially directly tied to Ticket Rocket New Zealand.
Mosaic Place uses a ticket agent system where the agent holds the funds until after the event takes place and releases the funds to the facility once the event is over. The Moose Jaw Cultural Centre also uses a ticket agent but their arrangement is that all funds are immediately remitted to the facility.
At present Mosaic Place has a Request For Proposal looking for a new ticketing agent and it is unknown what payment system they are looking for. Mosaic Place’s relationship with Ticket Rocket ended on June 1st.