Remember the and thought he scored a $60,000 Kia K900, but actually just won $25,000 in sneaky bait and switch? The dealership is going to give him a brand new K900 after facing media pressure. Woo, media pressure!
Folsom Lake Kia had parked a K900 on the course making it look like the prize of the contest, however the dealership took out insurance on the tournament and instead gave the golfer, Allen Ross $25,000 to use towards a new Ford or Kia. The $60,000 K900 was simply for display, and there wasn't adequate indication that the prize was only $25,000.
The dealership and the Eureka Schools Foundation (ESF) that sponsored the contest faced a pretty big backlash from the local news for their sneaky tactics, so they decided to give Ross the K900.
The tournament organizers issued a statement to a local :
"Eureka Schools Foundation (ESF) is pleased to announce that it has resolved the 'hole in one' controversy stemming from the annual charity golf tournament held in May. Our long time sponsors, Folsom Lake Kia and the Peterson family, made this resolution possible by donating a brand new 2015 Kia K900 (valued at more than $60,000), similar to the one located on the green for advertising purposes.
ESF is comprised of community volunteers dedicated to improving the educational opportunities for the children of Granite Bay and Roseville. During the 20 years that ESF has conducted its charity golf tournament, we have never had a golfer make a hole in one on the prize-winning hole. Mr. Ross' shot brought to our attention that there was a misunderstanding between the commitment of our sponsor, Folsom Lake Kia, and the expectations of our participants. We will be putting additional processes in place to prevent such misunderstandings in the future.
Our community and ESF are fortunate indeed to have a sponsor like Folsom Lake Kia and the Peterson family, and we are grateful to put this matter behind us and to resume focus on the fast approaching 2014/2015 school year."
Good on the dealer and the ESF for resolving this situation, and hopefully Ross will enjoy his new Kia.
H/T to Mark!