FYRE Festival Relaunches_ 5 Things to Know _ E! News
FYRE Festival Relaunches_ 5 Things to Know _ E! News
Category
✨
PeopleTranscript
00:00 It has been the absolute wildest journey to get here.
00:03 Billy McFarland is ready for Fyre Festival 2.0.
00:07 The entrepreneur who was convicted of wire fraud
00:10 in connection with the 2017 event
00:13 says that the first drop of tickets for Fyre Fest 2
00:17 are already sold out.
00:19 And if you're puzzled by this news, you're not alone.
00:22 Here's five things to know about the relaunch
00:25 of the infamous festival turned fiasco.
00:28 First up, we don't actually know
00:30 where or when it's happening yet.
00:33 Billy announced the event's sequel in April on social media.
00:37 Details on the Fyre Fest's website this week
00:40 simply list the location as the Caribbean
00:43 and say that the event is targeted for the end of 2024.
00:48 Those missing deets apparently didn't stop people
00:51 from buying the $499 tickets,
00:54 which are currently listed as sold out.
00:57 Prices for the next tiers of tickets
00:59 range from $799 to $7,999.
01:03 If you're wondering what inspired Billy
01:07 to give this idea another go,
01:09 he says it came to him during his stint in a federal prison.
01:13 And it really all started during the seventh month's stint
01:16 in solitary confinement.
01:18 I wrote out this 50 page plan
01:20 of how it would take this overall interest
01:22 and demand in Fyre,
01:24 and how it would take my ability
01:25 to bring people from around the world together
01:27 to make the impossible happen,
01:29 but how it would find the best partners in the world
01:32 to allow me to be me
01:33 while executing Fyre's vision to the highest level.
01:36 If you watched either of the documentaries
01:38 that were released about the ordeal,
01:40 you remember Andy King.
01:42 Well, he's back too.
01:44 The event planner who went viral
01:46 over his admission of the lengths
01:48 that he went to to try and pull off the fiasco
01:51 confirms in a statement to Yahoo Entertainment
01:54 that he looks forward to working with Billy
01:56 and our partners to share Fyre with the world,
02:00 adding, "I'm so grateful to have support
02:02 "to help us execute the ultimate redemption."
02:06 By the way, Billy contends this time around,
02:09 things will be different.
02:11 He writes on Instagram on August 22nd,
02:13 "This time we have incredible support.
02:16 "I'll be doing what I love,
02:18 "working with the best logistical
02:20 "and infrastructure partners."
02:22 Though perhaps to appease his skeptics,
02:24 he adds all ticket sale revenue
02:26 will be held in escrow until the final date is announced.
02:30 In 2018, Billy was convicted of two counts of wire fraud
02:34 in connection to the music fest,
02:36 which was originally billed as a one-of-a-kind
02:39 luxury experience in the Caribbean.
02:42 But instead of the extravagant accommodations
02:44 and chef-cooked meals they were promised,
02:46 attendees said they received plain cheese sandwiches
02:50 and stayed in UN disaster tents.
02:53 Prosecutors said the fest was an alleged scheme
02:55 to defraud investors.
02:57 Following his release from prison in 2022,
03:01 Billy's lawyer told E! News,
03:02 "Billy's primary concern and focus at this time
03:06 "is making restitution and fulfilling the promises made."
03:10 Speaking of restitution,
03:12 Billy has about $26 million in financial amends to make.
03:16 The 31-year-old also issued a public apology
03:20 while on Good Morning America last year.
03:23 I need to apologize.
03:24 And that is the first and last thing
03:28 that needs to be done is I let people down.
03:30 How do you expect people to trust you?
03:31 Time and just doing little things on a weekly basis
03:36 and just slowly building.
03:37 (upbeat music)
03:40 (upbeat music)
03:42 (upbeat music)
03:45 (upbeat music)
03:48 (upbeat music)