Thousands pack inside Franklin complex for inaugural Tacos and Tequila Festival

 

FRANKLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) — Franklin Field turned into a dance party on Saturday, as thousands packed inside of the Rock Sports Complex for the first-ever Tacos and Tequila Festival.

The event, sponsored in part by Roc Ventures which owns the complex, featured several performances from iconic 2000s rappers including Nelly, Baby Bash, Twista, Chingy, and Fat Joe.

There was also a chihuahua beauty pageant, Lucha Libre wrestling, multiple taco food trucks, and more.

But crowds also faced multi-hours long lines not only for food and drink, but just to get into the festival.

Lines were so long to even find parking that CBS 58 saw dozens of people getting out of cars that were stuck in a standstill on the freeway, to attempt to walk onto the event grounds.

“We had to wait over an hour. It’s kind of ridiculous that an event this huge has only two entrances,” said Natassha Delgado. “It’s not accessible for parking or to enter at all.”

Others like Ricky Souvannasane of Milwaukee said they weren’t bothered by the wait, as it was part of the experience.

“I’m with friends who came out of town, they wanted to experience this because we’re all 2000-people at the end of the day,” Souvannasane said. “It gives us a reason to just have fun and gives us a reason to be together.”

CBS 58 also spoke with several attendees who paid hundreds for VIP tickets which promised included margaritas and tacos — but were left empty handed.

“I paid $500 for three people to come here. We were all the way on the other side and stood in line for an hour and 20 minutes,” said Megan Lewis. “Then we stood in line for 40 minutes for a drink we’d already paid for. They had no tequila so we had to move to another line that also had no tequila.”

Lewis said her overall experience was “terrible.”

“I’ve already contacted [the festival] and I told them if they don’t help me get a [refund] I’ll have to contact my bank,” Lewis said.

The festival’s website lists no refunds are available.

This, on top of rain and thunderstorms that lasted throughout the evening, that sent hundreds home early.

But some like Rebecca Mercedes said despite the wet conditions, the event was “a blast from the past.”

“It reminded me of all my high school days and middle school days,” Mercedes said. “It was amazing, I loved it.”

Mercedes said she didn’t have issues with lack of food or drink but wasn’t surprised to hear complaints from others.

“The music was blaring, and emotions were exciting,” Mercedes said. “It was just a great time.”

The festival lasted into the night, with headliner Nelly scheduled to come onstage at 9:25 p.m.

For those who live nearby, the event started early that morning.

“This morning around 10 o’clock the house starts vibrating, shaking and I go, what’s going on here?” said Dale Kirner, who's lived in Franklin for 25 years.

Kirner is one of many outspoken Franklin residents, who have spent years alleging noise complaints from the complex to the city since the area was developed.

“This Rock sports complex has destroyed our tranquility and our quality of life,” Kirner said.

The festival occurred just three days after a city council hearing was held to discuss the results of a $200,000 sound study, authorized by Milwaukee County, to see if residents’ complains were valid.

Despite the Rock not allowing the sound study team onto property during the tests, the study found the complex was too loud at times.

“You can’t have a public nuisance that interferes with people’s quiet enjoyment and safety and heath and welfare, and that’s what this does for 130 days a year for four to six hours a day,” said Franklin resident Dana Gindt. “We’re so used to being bombarded with noise all the time that it creates a lot of stress in my home and for the whole neighborhood as there’s events coming.”

After the near two-and-a-half hour long hearing concluded Wednesday, a solution wasn’t immediately made clear.

“But I think that they are talking about taking further action which is encouraging that’s for certain,” Gindt said. “I guess we’ll see what happens with that.”

The owner of the complex has not responded to several of CBS 58’s requests for comment on the noise complaints.