Burning Man‘s misfortunes proceed to mount after its endorsed ticket resale platform mistakenly charged patrons an additional 9% tax, The San Francisco Standard stories.
The occasion’s Safe Ticket Alternate Program (STEP), powered by resale platform Tixel, erroneously utilized Nevada’s 9% “Dwell Leisure” tax to secondary market purchases when this system launched in mid-Could, per The Commonplace. This meant patrons had been successfully taxed twice—as soon as through the authentic buy and once more throughout resale—including roughly $70 to tickets that initially price $750 with charges.
Organizers additionally reportedly applied a brand new tiered-pricing system not too long ago that drew criticism for its lack of transparency.
The double-taxation situation represents one other stumble for the beleaguered occasion, which has confronted mounting challenges since its disastrous 2023 occasion, whereby tens of 1000’s of attendees discovered themselves stranded within the Nevada desert after a heavy rainstorm walloped the Black Rock Metropolis metropolis. Burning Man on the time disseminated a “survival guide” after issuing a shelter-in-place directive.
Final 12 months marked the primary time since 2011 that the occasion failed to sell out, adopted by a controversial $20 million finances shortfall that prompted the group’s CEO, Marian Goodell, to solicit community donations to “assist safe the long-term of Burning Man.”
A Burning Man consultant confirmed in an announcement that Tixel had “by chance charged” the duplicate tax and is now working to course of refunds.
“This situation is resolved and we anticipate STEP will proceed to function easily all through the season,” Burning Man spokesperson Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley instructed The Commonplace.
The incident underscores the operational challenges going through Burning Man because it makes an attempt to stabilize its funds whereas sustaining group belief lower than three months earlier than its subsequent gathering. The 2025 occasion is scheduled for August twenty fourth to September 1st.
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