MORRISON — The Revel Rockies marathon that went from Evergreen to Morrison last weekend is facing scrutiny from one community after things did not go as expected.
“It’s a shame because this thing reflects badly on Morrison,” Brewster Caesar, a Morrison town board trustee, said at a board meeting Tuesday night.
The was cancelled by organizers just a quarter of an hour before it was supposed to start the morning of July 19. The cause: the bus company hired to take racers from Morrison to the starting line in Evergreen failed to show up with the 52 buses contracted for the event.
Anna Ryan, race director for Revel Marathon, said her Utah-based company is now pursing legal action against the bus company, Access Transportation Services.
“The morning of the event, even after hours of waiting, (Access Transportation Services) continued to assure us that the buses were on the way,” reads a post on the Revel Rockies Facebook page. “After the delays reached the point that we realized the buses were not on the way and we could no longer hold the event under the time constraints of our permits, we made the decision to cancel the half marathon.”
Ryan called the cancellation, “the most excruciating decision we have ever had to make.”
Morrison Mayor Sean Forey said dateline, which he also said reflected poorly on the town. It was not the only concern expressed at his town’s board meeting.
The race ended in the town of Morrison, where vendors set up and music played.
Morrison’s board members voiced concerns about the loud music so early in the day and road blocks keeping residents from exiting their streets. They decided to invite the race organizers to an August meeting, and survey residents on whether they want to welcome the race back next year.
Jackie Mohr is director of Evergreen-based Drive Smart, a charity benefitting from the Revel Rockies race. Her organization gathered local volunteers for the race and worked closely with race organizers.
“They planned and planned, and planned and managed and planned,” she said. “I don’t know what they could have done differently because they used that company the year before. I know the diligence was put forth, I witnessed it happening.”
She said the situation with the bus company is an eye-opener for her nonprofit, which organizes .
“What would happen if the same person who sets up our fireworks doesn’t show? What would we do? It raises a question for all of us,” she said.
Ryan said that while her company is taking a hit in refunding the stranded racers — owners are even dipping into their personal bank accounts — this year’s issues have not changed Revel’s plans to make a $6,000 contribution to Drive Smart, nor plans to bring the race back next year.
“We are not backing down for anything,” she said. “We are here for the community.”
Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JosieKlemaier
