Softball teams across Canada out thousands of dollars after Mexican tournament cancelled

Christina and Ryan Kelley can’t believe they’re not going on their Mexican vacation. In a week they are supposed to be leaving Calgary heading to Puerto Vallarta for a slo-pitch tournament. Now they’re staying home.

Their 12-member team, CFX, had booked to take part in the 5th annual Corona Pacifico Co Ed slo-pitch tournament in Puerto Vallarta. They paid close to $16,000 for tournament fees and hotel accommodation. The couple had heard it was a good event from friends who had taken part in previous years.

“We should have done more research into this gentleman,” said Ryan.

Delorra Wall and her Quesnel team “Cleats and Cleavage” also didn’t think it would be a problem to go on the trip, but Thursday morning she got the same bad news in a Facebook post.

“Last October there was 15 ball teams in Canada that paid a certain person money to go to Puerto Vallarta to play ball, so it’s about $250,000 for Canadian teams that are out,” she said.

Both teams say they signed no contract, but they e-transfered money to the organizer, Austin Gunning, every few months with the last payment in February.

Gunning told Global News in an email that the tournament is postponed until October.

“Very simple: the U.S. dollar is very high. In October room rates are much lesser to offset the high U.S. dollar,” he wrote.

“The last five years the tournament has been full, 28 teams, and we were not dealing with a high U.S. dollar.”

But Wall and the Kelleys say they want to go now – and if they can’t, they want their money back.

“This man we’ve trusted…we’ve made payment after payment always when due, always on time,” said Ryan.

“And now this happens..it’s very frustrating.”

Complaints have been lodged with the RCMP.

– With files from Jennifer Palma