Frisco Fair organizer appeals city's decision to revoke permit, cancel fair

FRISCO, Texas - The company behind the Frisco Fair formally appealed the city's decision to revoke the event's permit over what the city called "public safety concerns."

On Monday, Frisco pulled the fair's special use permit after fights and a stampede of people on Saturday night. The city says 911 dispatchers received multiple calls regarding arguments, disruptive behavior, fights and gunshots. 

In a letter to the city on Wednesday, lawyers for Talley Amusements Inc. argued Frisco did not have grounds to pull the permit under the Code for Revocation saying, "at all times, Talley complied with Frisco's security requirements."

Video from Frisco Fair shows chaos that led to event's cancellation

Talley said they made significant investments and "incurred considerable expenses" to bring the fair to Frisco, and that the none of the issues listed with the fair were "actions by or failures of Talley."

The company opposed the city's decision revoke the permit without a hearing to evaluate security issues and take measures to fix any problems. 

Talley also said that emergency exits were unlocked, contrary to the report put out by the City of Frisco. The company says that the exits were only locked after the fair was closed.

Frisco also stated the event was ‘very crowded’, but Talley argues the attendance was within occupancy levels set by the Frisco Fire Department.

The company also took exception to comments made by Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney who said "this operator was not willing to meet our expectations" on Facebook. Talley argues that the company has met or exceeded the city's expectations since first bringing the fair to Frisco in 2019 and that it was the city that failed to meet over possible improvements.

"Fighting between juveniles at an event on a given evening does not present an imminent threat to public safety for the next two weeks," attorneys for Talley wrote. "Does Frisco intend to cancel sporting events and concerts over juveniles fighting and causing disturbances without ever trying corrective security measures?"

The company says that reopening the fair with a new Security Action Plan provided by Talley Amusements would prevent "significant monetary and reputational damages."

The proposed new security action plan would require guests younger than 18 to be accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m., metal detectors at the gates and add more officers, among other changes.

The fair was scheduled to run through May 14.