Jan. 28, 2005 – The Caribbean Shining Star "2005 All Star Weekend," featuring an Alicia Keys concert and the Shining Star vocal talent competition, slated for this weekend has been "postponed," according to Dexter Chappelle, the event's producer.
Chapelle said Wednesday afternoon he was overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to compete in the talent contest and didn't have enough time to process all the applications and cull the auditions. "It's our fault," Chappelle told JAMZ disc jockey Tony T. "We didn't give enough time for people to get their applications in."
The application deadline was last week, Chappelle told Tony T, but the auditions had already been held Jan. 17 and 18.
About 50 people total showed up for the two-day auditions held at Sapphire Beach. One person involved said there were "holes in the schedule," meaning there had been more room for people to audition.
"I decided this morning to cancel" the Alicia Keys show, along with the talent show, Chappelle said. He said he wasn't only in it for the concert, he said. "My focus is the talent, not just doing a concert."
Also slated to appear with Alicia Keyes were, Wyclef Jean, Beenie Man, Gerald Levert, ICON Band, and Tito Rojas.
There had been very little local promotion or advertising about any of the events, which also included an "All Day Beach Party" on Saturday, according to a four-color brochure that had made its way around the community. However, the Source received a call from Miami Wednesday afternoon from a concert-goer trying to find out if the concert was still on.
Pamela Richards, Tourism Department commissioner, said Wednesday afternoon that Tourism had not advanced any cash in support of the program, though Chappelle had reportedly made proposals to Tourism for monetary sponsorship. "At this time, the only investment that we've made has been 100 gift bags for performers and special guests," Richards said.
Chappelle made a point of thanking the "Board of Tourism," for its support. He also thanked Grandmaz House, a restaurant and catering service, for support.
An employee of Grandmaz House, who refused to give her name and spoke on behalf of Mike Noble, said "We have not been informed of anything yet." Grandmaz House had been hired to do catering for the Caribbean Shining Star event.
Though he promised the concert and talent show would be back, "even bigger and better," Chappelle did not say in his radio appearance when. He also did not return calls from the Source for further information.
He did inform Pamela Sanes, Reichhold Center for the Arts interim director, however. Reichhold had the contract for ticket sales and distribution for the concert. Sanes said everyone who had purchased tickets would be given a complete refund and asked that they call the box office at 693-1559 to make that arrangement.
Sanes said the effort had cost the Reichhold about $5,000 out of pocket for tickets and box office support. As of publication time the Caribbean Shining Star Web site, "caribbeanshiningstar.com", was still showing the scheduled events.
Calls to the local affiliate, Westline Productions, were unsuccessful as the voice mail box was full.
Chappelle had been staying at the former Grand Beach Palace Resort, which The Future Limited Inc., was reportedly interested in purchasing. Chappelle is the chairman of The Future Limited Inc.
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