MY NIGHTMARE IN SAN FRANCISCO
- 10/24/2007 (4:07:57 am)
- Georgiann Makropoulos
……
Let me first start by saying that like many of you out there in the wrestling world, my love for this sport started when I was a kid and has lasted and developed into a love for the business, and especially the boys!
My first encounter with Chris Salsbury started about 3 month prior to the show, I was looking for some information about being a vendor and selling my one of a kind custom figures and thousands of autographs. What started as a possible business venture for myself, soon turned into me designing and producing the so called Wrestle Fan Fest exclusive figure. I personally sent him a box containing about 30 custom figures (I have yet to have seen them since) those were either to be sold at the show or used in VIP packs, whatever those were, LOL. Anyway he never ordered the figures and all of my efforts were for nothing, a trend that I would soon find familiar. I was still going to the show and Chris did fly me in and give me hotel room, sounds great but trust me I wish I had stayed home. As part of my deal with Chris I was to have a booth at the Cowpalace (Never Happened) And have access to food. I sent 5 boxes of my custon figures, autographs, & more. The whole 4 days I was there I would never see my stuff.I arrived on Thurday at the Oakland airport, my ride that was promised by Chris left me starnded for 2 hours before I was finally crammed into a Hummer with two other workers for Chris, The Blue Meanie and his lovely friend, Francine, & The Sandman, Francine was a real trooper, we were crammed in like sardines, great treatment for the talent. Nothing happened Thursday as I decided to just get some rest. I recieved a call the next morning from Chris, he desperatly needed my help and he would make sure I would be set up for the show and paid if I would just help him out. I met him at the lobby aka The Sheridan Hotel war-grounds. He then informed that most of his workers really had no idea who most of these people were, not even Tonya Harding, go figure. So I was now in charge of getting all the talent checked in and make sure they were happy, I was kind, helpful, and worked my butt off, every person I checked in was happy and had no complaints that I know of. I even used the last of my money to help get Tonya Harding checked in, I was promised my money & food that night, I got one piece of pizza. That would be the most food I got all 4 days!
So after working the lobby from 10:00 am til 7pm I was tired and hungry but Chris was no where to be found, I retired to my room in hopes of getting to the Cow Palace to make some money, eat and get home. The next morning I walked into the Lobby of the Sheridan into the stand off, as the wrestlers had decided to sit and wait for Chris to get their money, many lies flew around that Lobby by Chris and others, but that is personal so I will keep that out of the public eye. Needless to say I was not happy,something Koko B Ware noticed, he talked to me for about 30 minutes to make me feel better and pointed out getting home to my wife and my 2 year old daughter was all that mattered. (I never told anyone that I was broke and hungry, I still had my pride left, but that too would soon fade away)
After the stand-off most of the wrestlers had been sent to the show Chris told me to jump into a limo and my stuff would be waiting for me, I joined the talent in the limo and arrived at the Cow Palace, we were all shocked to see very little cars in the parking lot, this is when I knew that Chris Salsbury was a liar, he told me via a phone conversation that he had sold 5000 tickets to the show. What a lie! So I walk around looking for the booth I was promised and never found it, I did find Chris, this is word for word or conversation...Hey Chris where are my boxes Im ready to set up. Oh they are in the back of my truck, ok cool where is your truck. At the hotel, and he walked away. I remembered my talk with Koko and just wanted to get home. When I get back to the hotel. That night in the lobby was the whole fiasco involving Don Freye, thank goodness I missed that by minutes, I witnessed a lot of from my Hotel window, until recently I had no idea I saw the second fight, I could not see faces just people fighting. The very last thing that Chris Salsbury promised me was that he could provide me with a way from my hotel to the Oakland airport. I decided to not trust Chris and figure my own way, all I will say is Steve Dr Death aka Dr Life Williams saved me that day and I will never forget the friendship we had before the show and the love I share with him now. I am home now in Tulsa Oklahoma and getting better, I lost 15 pounds and I scared my wife and family with my weight loss, it even shows in my face. After out smarting Chris I got my boxes shipped back to me via help from Federal Express. I did loose one box with about 30 one of a kind figures and 25 autographed Booker T pictures that I paid a lot for, but hey I got 5 out of six.
Now I have decided to try and make contact with any wrestlers, talent, vendors, or fans that got screwed, we need to band together, to make a wrong, right. One fan that I tried to help, ended up paying hotel fees after already paying once, very sad. Many fans had a great time and they should have, there were a lot of great stars that weekend, but Chris and his buddy Rob need to pay for what they have done. My name is Lee Stone, I make custom made figures, my email is [email protected] and my phone number is 918-836-6471. (I have a pony tail, so you might remember who I am.)
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If anyone wants to register a complaint about a bad incident that happened, you can also contact Georgie @ [email protected] We are in contact with many people who are willing to help legally. Mostly we need copies of checks that bounced.
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