Organizers with Texas Bear Round Up 2020: A Roman Holiday, have just announced that they are canceling the event, which began yesterday in Dallas, due to concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
The decision came hours after Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson both issued public health emergency declarations.
In a statement just posted to the TBRU 2020 Facebook page organizers said:
“Dallas County has issued an emergency public health declaration with constraints on events and public gatherings over 500 people beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020. To comply with this declaration, the Dallas Bears Board of Directors have made the difficult decision to cancel Texas Bear Round-Up XXV. Shortly the [host hotel, Hyatt Regency Dallas] will announce the favorable actions they are taking regarding cancellations and early-check out changes.
“We never thought we would see this situation based on previous information and knowledge. This is unchartered waters for us as a small non-profit organization. There are still many unknown details and many logistics to be worked out. It will take us weeks to sift through all the details to be able to answer the many questions you may have. We will communicate directly to registered attendees in the coming weeks.
We love and appreciate you and wish everyone health and safety. We have resolve and hope to be able to continue in the future and see you at TBRU 26.
Let us resolve to be the Bear Family that we are and support one another and uplift our community and the world at this time. As a community, we have weathered crises and injustice — let us rise to be a voice of hope, love and community. @dallasbears”
Absolutley the smartest decision that could be made! KUDOS to this organization for considering everyone’s health, both inside and outside the LGBTQ communities!!!
But only after being forced to comply to an emergency directive. No points for proactivity.
I agree, the organizers of this event have blood on their hands for not cancelling it before participants had already arrived and the “festivities” had already begun. Shame on you
Absolutely no kudos to the Dallas Bears. They were not being smart, obviously were not monitoring the situation. With any event there should have been a contingency plan to handle an emergency shut down. Money played a bigger role (regardless if it was for charity) than public health and well-being.
After our community dealt with an HIV/AIDS epidemic for 25+ years you’d think they would be smart about this.
KUDOS to this organization! Are you shittin me! What World do you live? They were ready and willing to put every attendee’s health at risk for this event. And for what – money? It was despicable. KUDOS to that Dallas Mayor & the Judge. Friggin nit wits!
It should have been done BEFORE hundreds of men boarded planes and flee across the country. Now there is panic in the hotel with guests being kicked out of the hotel, vendors scrambling to pack up, and a club president crying in the corner.
Guests are not being kicked out. Vendors had to leave to pack up – the event is cancelled. And the club president was devastated, but has done an amazing job with the team to regroup and do what we can. As a reminder this charity event is held yearly to raise money for our local LGBTQ charities, like ASD, and they rely on the $10s of thousands of dollars raised. So of course the club is devastated.
They NOT been kicked out. In fact there some shoutouts for parties in rooms.
Except noone is getting kicked out of the hotel.. we were told we were more than welcome to stay, but if we chose to leave they would only charge for the one night.
No one is being kicked out of the hotel. The event was canceled and honestly i wish it wasn’t. If you have such a big deal then why did you come? You came just like everyone else to have a good time. Now that the Mayor and Country Judge ruined it, you’re gonna blame the Dallas Bears? You must not have an idea about how much time and effort goes into the planning and creation of this event. Have some respect.
So….Refund?
Dallas is CDC Level 2 today, public transmission occurring. City had to do it and TBRU complied.
I agree, the organizers of this event have blood on their hands for not cancelling it before participants had already arrived and the “festivities” had already begun. Shame on you
Irresponsible to have not cancelled sooner. Only two reasons they continued greed and sex. Disappointed in the gay community.
I wholeheartedly agree
You must be a little slow.
Of course they were going to continue having it. All that money for their fake, pointless, money sucking, do nothing”Charities”. . .not to mention filling their own pockets. All this concern over a little flu, but yet spreading HIV and all the other STD’s is totally cool at the never ending drug fueled bareback parties and trips to the bath houses. It’s all pure CLASS at TBRU.
So are they issuing refunds? or should I contact my credit card company and dispute the charge? I am definitely sure if they don’t issue refunds most people would never register with them again for future events!
I’m sure that they will issue refunds. Your snotty comment makes it sound as if the Dallas Bears had any control over this virus.
But the Dallas Bears did have control over the situation. Houston had just canceled all events including the HLSR. That right there was indicator of what was about to come across the state. This feckless behavior is all on them and to any person that is complicit.
I understand if registrants want a refund. Maybe Dallas Bears/TBRU can also give them the option to not take a refund and still have their registration fee donated to the charities involved.
Disappointed in the gay community?? You should be disappointed in yourself for being a selfish ass. They had no choice but to cancel when they did. Grow up Becky!
This was completely predictable earlier this week. I’m sorry this happened but I do have to ask myself why anyone would wait until being told to shut it down when everything pointed to problems. When a country quarantined 16 million people in 2 cities and closed borders and Theme parks began closing that a small non-profit board would think that there was a major problem and fiscal risk of exposure Just my opinion.
I attended TRBU and made the decision to depart the hotel of my own accord. Like other people have said Hyatt Regency kicked no one out and was very hospitable to only charge for the number of nights stayed up until this morning. It does suck for those people who made the journey from afar to attend, but this is an unprecedented outbreak that the organization was looking at earlier in the week. Those who are staying, because of travel arrangements are able to host events in their rooms with other attendees and experience the great LGBT scene our city has to offer – S4 which was hosting the dance party remained open tonight, to my knowledge – as did all the other bars that hosted RuPaul’s Drag Race screenings and other bar offerings. In terms of refunds – I would encourage attendees to understand that this is a charitable organization and remember that there are beneficiaries of the event right here in local Dallas: Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund; Resource Center: Youth First and Dallas Hope Charities: Dallas Hope Center. I personally will not be asking for a refund from Texas Bears and was very pleased the hotel offered one up.
It would have been cancelled sooner if somebody just told them Rona was a total bottom.
The big Bear party canceled for a little flu-like virus cuz they don’t want to catch anything. . . . but bareback parties and bath-house excursions every year spreading HIV and every other STD is totally fine, because “Love is Love” and stuff.
Shut the fuck up. Shamers are the fucking worst.
The Dallas Bears and TBRU were reckless. There was someone plenty indication that this was coming and they were hoping the measures being applied in other cities would not happen here. They don’t want to deal with the financial implications of canceling. But public health trumps fun, sex and profits. They obviously were not following CDC guidance since they have been saying for weeks”no crowds.”
Their behavior was quite disappointing from our community, a community that was hit hardest by the HIV/AIDS epidemic for over 20 years. They should know better. I have seen several participants state they will not participate in future Dallas Bear events because of this. I don’t blame them.