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Posted: March 25, 2025
Why Was the Convention Shut Down?
We do not have an official reason for the shutdown. We were only informed that the "Tribal Medical Authority" was closing the convention due to an "ongoing medical situation" and no further information has been provided. What we do know is that less than half of our management, staff, vendors, and an unknown number of guests experienced an as-of-yet unknown illness. Affected individuals reported vomiting and diarrhea lasting between 12 and 24 hours (in some cases longer), with some requiring hospitalization. The first case we are aware of was on Wednesday night, March 19th, and it appears that Casino Del Sol (CDS) was made aware of these incidents; sick individuals reported to the hotel front desk as expected.
Update: It seems Casino Del Sol has put out a press release this evening confirming norovirus as the cause of their decision to close Wild Wild West Con. We want to be clear that this is the first time we have been made aware of this development and it was provided to the press rather than to our staff or management.
How Was the Decision Made to Shut Down the Convention?
On Saturday, WWWC owners informed our CDS event coordinator that there was an outbreak or medical situation as the number of cases increased—both owners and several management and staff members had fallen ill with similar symptoms. We had heard an unconfirmed rumor that someone may have had norovirus, so on Saturday at 1:28 p.m. one of the owners sent a text to our event manager at CDS that included a link to the CDC page on Norovirus in the hope of opening a dialogue about the situation. We never stated that this was the confirmed source of the mystery illness; we only shared the information as a potential lead. Prepared to cooperate, we awaited further direction. Less than two hours later, we were called into a meeting where the convention was shut down. There was no discussion, and we have no insight into the internal discussions within CDS or any other involved groups. We have no further information regarding what CDS knew, when they knew it, or any details about the illness prior to the arrival of convention staff on Tuesday.
When Was the Convention Shut Down, and Why?
On Saturday, March 21, at 3:20 p.m., the convention was notified in a brief meeting between CDS representatives and WWWC owners that the "Tribal Medical Authority" was immediately shutting down the event due to an "ongoing medical situation." This message was reiterated to the entire WWWC management team within 10 minutes. All guests were required to leave and vendors were given two hours to tear down, pack, and depart. We were informed everyone involved with the convention would need to check out of the hotel Saturday, and no one associated with the convention was permitted to stay the night.
During that meeting, WWWC management inquired about the reason for the shutdown but received no additional details beyond "ongoing medical situation," despite repeated requests. No assistance was offered for finding lodging for anyone, including out-of-town guests. Guests left very quickly, and the vendors managed to pack up within three hours, with the final departure occurring within five hours due to substantial equipment. The evacuation was orderly and occurred without injury or serious incident despite the fear and confusion caused by the lack of information.
Medical Diagnosis and Information
To our knowledge, there is no confirmed diagnosis, source, cause, or transmission vector. We are actively monitoring the situation and will provide any verified medical updates as soon as they become available. The health and safety of our guests, vendors, staff, and the public is our highest priority, and we share in the frustration of this uncertainty. As of 5:00 p.m. on March 25, WWWC management has not received any communication from CDS regarding this incident. Our last communication with the venue was on Saturday, as vendors were finishing clearing out, and it was limited to using the boardroom for temporary storage and a demand to remove a social media post. The only medical-related information provided was the original statement at 3:20 p.m. that the event was being closed due to "medical concerns."
WWWC Deleting a Social Media Post
Media and the public have noted that we deleted one of our Facebook updates during the evacuation. We removed our post in response to a strong request from CDS, as required by our event contract and given the pressing health emergency. The deleted post is included below.
Consequences
It became painfully clear that shutting down the convention was the right step, and had WWWC been part of the decision-making process, our conclusion would have been the same. We are heartbroken over the suffering caused by this baffling illness, and our thoughts and prayers are with every affected individual—particularly those most vulnerable, including our elderly, children, and immunocompromised guests. We truly wish we had more information to ease your concerns. Additionally, we express our sincere sympathy to our vendors, many of whom rely on this business for their livelihood. During this unexpected crisis, our community came together to ensure a safe, orderly evacuation of guests and vendors with no injuries or disputes, reflecting the unity and resilience that characterize our Steampunk family.
Additional Questions We Have Been Asked
Why did they shut down the convention but not the entire hotel?
We have no information regarding this decision as no communication was provided. To our knowledge the restaurants, hotels, and casino all stayed open to the public as we were evacuated.
What steps have been taken by the Tribal Medical Authority to identify the cause of the illness?
We have not received any reports that affected attendees were contacted or interviewed regarding their symptoms, food intake, or contacts.
Do Pima County Public Health Authorities have any role in investigating this, or is it entirely up to the Tribal Medical Authority?
We have reached out to Pima County, and they have informed us that "the Pascua Yaqui Health Department is managing the outbreak." The Pima County Health Department recommends that anyone who was at Casino Del Sol between March 19 and 21 and experienced gastrointestinal symptoms contact their health provider and the Pascua Yaqui Health Department at 520-879-6000.
Deleted post:
Our first official statement remains on our website, directing people that the convention had been shut down. Our second official statement was originally posted on Saturday at approximately 3:40 p.m. and deleted at about 5:58 p.m. at the insistence of CDS in an effort to maintain a working relationship during a difficult situation:
Wild Wild West Con 13
A quick note to our beloved con family and guests:
Currently, we do not have an official statement from Casino Del Sol or the Tribal Health Authority, but we wanted to share some of the symptoms reported by individuals who weren’t feeling well. These include abdominal pain, nausea (sometimes accompanied by a headache), vomiting, and food aversion. These symptoms lasted between 1–3 days.
For everyone’s safety, we recommend wearing masks when in spaces with immune-compromised individuals or when attending business or work events for the next several days.
The safety and well-being of our guests and staff is our top priority, so we want to keep you informed and be as transparent as possible in order to ensure everyone stays safe.
#WWWC13
Media Contact: wwwc.biz.ops@gmail.com
Wild Wild West Con remains committed to transparency and to the health and safety of our community.
We appreciate your understanding and continued support during this challenging time.
Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention
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*** See Also ***
KOLD TV - Convention organizers speak out after Casino Del Sol cancels event over norovirus concerns
Steampunk Explorer - WWWC Shuts Down Early Due to Likely Norovirus Outbreak