SUPPORT COLLAPSES FOR UPCOMING PRIDE OF THE AMERICAS EVENT

John Hayden

With less than two weeks to go until Pride of the Americas (POTA), support for the event and the organization producing it, Pride Fort Lauderdale (Pride), is collapsing.

Within hours after publication of an SFGN story detailing the lack of transparency in Pride, two major sponsors withdrew all remaining support from the event and the organization. Midland/CAN, one of, if not the biggest financial sponsor of Pride notified the organization it is out. They had given $100,000 to Pride for this year, and are now asking for complete reimbursement.

Rogelio Capote, SVP Marketing & Community Relations for CAN Community Health, told SFGN, “Due to changes that have occurred after our sponsorship commitment, it is in the best interest of CAN Community Health and the Midland Family to withdraw from Pride of the Americas.”

Two Midland people were on the board, but both had already resigned since Christmas. One of them, Greg Beltran, told SFGN they both left to devote more time to their jobs.

As for Midland/CAN pulling out, he said, “It wasn’t a decision taken lightly. We made the decision based on the changes that occurred after we committed to the 100K presenting sponsorship. After considerable deliberation, we decided it was in the best interest of both organizations to withdraw from the event.”

A document from Pride, obtained by SFGN, indicates CAN/Midland were committed for $100,000 each of the next two years as well. The status of that money has not been addressed.

Also pulling out of the event is longtime Pride sponsor Tito’s Vodka. SFGN has been told their commitment had been about $25,000 in cash plus providing product to the event.

These events come in the midst of SFGN’s exclusive investigation into Pride, exposing a lack of planning and money as well as an exodus in top-tier leadership

‘STOPPING MY CURRENT TASKS’

The same night Midland/CAN pulled out, Pride’s head of Logistics & Operations - Safety, Corey Ziman, sent an email titled “Full hold.” In it, he said, “I fully expect to see sponsors and vendors pull out. With that said, I will be stopping my current tasks until