A lawsuit has been filed against the organizers of a cheerleading championship in Dallas following a chaotic incident earlier this year that resulted in the hospitalization of ten individuals.
During the National Cheerleaders Association’s All-Star National Championship at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center on March 1, a loud noise, later determined to be falling metal poles, triggered a stampede as thousands of parents, athletes, and coaches fled the venue.
The distressing situation has led to claims of negligence against the event producers and venue management.
The suit was filed on Friday and includes the parents of competing children, who argue that the event lacked sufficient safety and security measures.
According to the lawsuit, “Injuries abounded; all of which could have been prevented if the operators of the facility and event producers had done anything in the way of security and safety planning to keep patrons safe.”
Victims of the incident suffered physical and psychological injuries from the chaotic evacuation.
The National Cheerleaders Association has been hosting this event for 30 years in Dallas, but this year is marred by the panic and mass exodus.
Witnesses described a chaotic atmosphere as people rushed to the exits in fear, exacerbated by a rumor of an active shooter, which police later clarified was unfounded.
In the aftermath of the incident, several organizations are named in the legal complaint, including Varsity Spirit, its parent company Varsity Brands, Omni Hotels, Oak View Group, and Global Spectrum, a subsidiary of the Oak View Group.
In response to the allegations, Varsity Brands spokesperson Brian Bianco stated that the company plans to take the matter to court.
He referenced a letter from the company’s president promising enhanced security measures for future events, which will include increased police presence, improved public safety messaging, weapon detection technology, and a strict clear bag policy.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Oak View Group, Liz Chreene, declined to comment on ongoing litigation but affirmed that safety is a top priority.
Requests for comments from Omni Hotels went unanswered.
According to Dallas police, the chaos began with a fight involving adults at the hotel that connects to the convention center via a skybridge.
This altercation instigated a panic, leading to the rapid evacuation of the convention center.
Among the plaintiffs are seven adults from different states, who allege they were harmed during the evacuation.
The lead plaintiff, Katie Albold, a 51-year-old mother from Kansas, reported suffering severe injuries, including two brain bleeds, a broken nose, a chipped tooth, a cut lip, and scraped hands based on the lawsuit.
She was in intensive care for three days following the incident.
While the event was largely reset the next day with about 90% of the teams returning to compete, it has tarnished the reputation of a long-standing tradition in Dallas.
Due to renovations underway at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, it has been decided that next year’s competition will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Toyota Center in Houston.
This venue shift is expected to continue for subsequent seasons through 2028.
image source from：https://www.dallasnews.com/news/courts/2025/06/11/families-sue-after-dallas-cheerleading-championship-upended-by-shooting-scare-injuries/
