Dalai Lama cancels his appearance in Albany
As the Banner’s religion reporter/editor, I had been interested in seeing the Dalai Lama in Albany, N.Y., since a story in the Albany Times Union said that he would be appearing at the Times Union Center on April 19. Our staff photographer, Peter Crabtree, was interesting in going also. I tried a number of times to find out from the Times Union Center about press credentials, without success. Just as well. When I came into work on Monday, April 6, there was a fax on my desk saying that the visit had been cancelled.
The fax bears a Times Union Center letterhead, and reads in part: “All tickets purchased for the event will be refunded at the original point purchased. If ordered over the phone, patrons must call 1-800-30-EVENT to receive their refund. If purchased online, credit cards will be automatically refunded, and if purchased at the arena box office or an outlet, patrons must return to the original point of purchase to receive their refund.”
The Albany Times Union reports that there were some issues with the organization hoping to sponsor the visit that apparently led to the cancellation.
— Mark Rondeau