Tulsa Route 66 Commission and Tulsa Regional Tourism announced they would issue base refunds for all those who registered for the Route 66 Capital Cruise after hundreds were unable to participate in the parade.
Refunds will be issued even to those who were in the parade. The refund checks will be mailed, and most participants will receive them before the month’s end.
The parade shattered a Guinness World Record with more than 3,500 classic cars in the parade, beating the old record by over 1,000.
However, scores were unable to participate, creating a public relations nightmare for the city and Route 66.
Fox23 News in Tulsa obtained the statement from the commission and tourism bureau:
“Tulsa’s Route 66 Capital Cruise: World -Record Classic Car Centennial Parade was an unprecedented event in scope, size and complexity. An undertaking of this magnitude presents unique challenges, and those challenges unfortunately resulted in negative experiences for many valued participants.
“As such, every registered Capital Cruise driver will receive a refund of their base registration fees. Those will be physical checks mailed by the end of the month with no action required by registered drivers. Additionally, any drivers who purchased Capital Cruise merchandise and were unable to put it up on-site will have it shipped to them, free of charge.
“On behalf of the entire Capital Cruise team, we apologize to any driver who registered and checked in but was unable to participate. Thank you for your participation and passion and for being an integral part of this historic moment on Route 66.”
News on 6 in Tulsa talked to Jonathan Huskey of the tourism bureau:
Several drivers who received entry passes during registration said they arrived Saturday morning expecting to join the historic event. Instead, they encountered heavy traffic backups near 21st Street and Yale Avenue.
Some participants said that by the time they reached Expo Square around 11 a.m., organizers had closed the gate and instructed them to leave. They said no explanation was provided at the time. […]
About 5,100 people registered for the Capital Cruise, but Huskey says 4,760 drivers checked in and received credentials at Expo Square the Thursday and Friday ahead of the event.
On Saturday morning, Huskey says 4,300 drivers arrived to Expo Square and were then shuttled onto the route.
Huskey says a Guinness adjudicator was staged at Mother Road Market.
“He clicked every single car and when the final car passed,” Huskey said.
Deduction and penalties of cars were then counted for things like gaps in the parade, cars that were broken down or mechanical issues. Those were all deductions and penalties that came off of that total. Guinness World Record officials ended the final count on 3,596 cars.
Many Route 66 advocates made apologies for the cruise problems, including Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin:
Many of you have reached out to express your frustration, your sadness, and your fears…and we hear you. I wish I had a good solution; what I do have is a few words.
Two things can be true at the same time: thousands of people came to Tulsa to participate in the Capital Cruise, where they had a wonderful time and cruised Historic Route 66 to help break a Guinness World Record as a way to celebrate the road’s overall centennial celebrations. At the same time, hundreds more were turned away at the gate and couldn’t participate, even though many of them had traveled a great distance and spent a lot of money to do so.
Two other things can also be true: I’m proud of Tulsa’s history related to Route 66…but I’m also very disappointed in how this major event has damaged the city’s reputation. At the Oklahoma Route 66 Association, we’ve received comment after comment from people swearing they will never come to Tulsa to spend another dime. Social media has a way of amplifying anger, of course, but what we’re hearing comes from many directions. And while the organizers have released a statement and are refunding everyone’s registration fees, what was lost can’t really be replaced.
I am proud to have participated in the event, both as an individual and as a representative of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association. But my heart breaks for the many people that were let down. I don’t know what comes next…but I know it is not boycotting the small businesses, the mom-and-pop operations, and the advocates that make Route 66 what it is today. None of them are to blame for what happened…and Route 66 is still a journey worth taking. I hope the folks that were turned away know that Route 66 itself, along with its many legacy businesses and unique experiences, welcomes you with open arms.
Mary Beth Babcock, a prominent business owner along Route 66 in Tulsa, also weighed in:
I appreciate that refunds have been offered, but I believe many of these participants are looking for something more than a refund. They want their disappointment to be acknowledged. They want to know that the logistical issues that prevented them from participating are understood and that lessons will be learned moving forward.
We can celebrate the success of this event while also recognizing that some guests left feeling let down. Both things can be true at the same time.
As someone who is passionate about Route 66 and wants these events to continue growing, my hope is that we listen to those concerns, learn from them, and make future events even better for everyone who travels here to be part of them.
Tulsa is planning another unspecified Route 66 centennial event in November. I’m sure a lot of folks are praying for a much smoother time.