Operation Santa military family carnival gets home back at Pittsburgh-area mall
UPDATE: The founder of the event was told there's been a resolution and the event will take place inside the former Sears.
The original story is below.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Organizers of the popular Operation Santa military family carnival just found themselves out in the cold.
An annual holiday event for military families is in limbo. Organizers of the military family carnival, Operation Santa, said they were blindsided when owners of the space they were leasing wouldn't give them the keys to move in. Now they're looking for a 'Hail Mary' to find another venue.
Every year Krystle Granite's kids count down the days until Operation Santa, a special holiday event for military families like her own, put on by 3 Rivers Wealth Management Group along with Heroes Supporting Heroes.
"It's their favorite event during the Christmas time, whether it's even getting together with family, they are the happiest to come to this every year," Granite said.
Kristi Hilbert started the event 10 years ago.
"We set up the North Pole and it's a carnival-style event that's amusement-level games and prizes, Santa Claus, Disney princesses, Star Wars characters, bouncers, carnival food," Hilbert said.
Last year for the first time, they had to cancel, because they couldn't find a space or raise the $150,000 to put it on. This year, just three weeks ago, they got a donation to pay for a venue to hold the event on Dec. 9 and 16.
Hilbert signed a lease agreement with Transformco, the owners of the old Sears at The Mall at Robinson. Then, she got an email Wednesday night from a lawyer saying their holding their access to the space.
"I called the realtor and she said, well, we're worried about some of the anchor mall tenants here. You know, being not supportive of this use of the space under the lease," Hilbert said.
They planned to move in Thursday. Then, she got another email that morning.
"We got a one-sentence email that said, 'We are not giving you access to the space, go find another venue.' No explanation. They wouldn't pick up the phone. They wouldn't answer an email. Nothing," Hilbert said.
KDKA reached out to The Mall at Robinson. A spokesperson released the following statement:
We can confirm that The Mall at Robinson does not own the building which was formerly occupied by Sears and have not been included in the decision-making leading to this news.
The news of this sudden cancellation has been devastating. We know how much effort goes into creating a meaningful weekend event and the opportunity to come together as partners to help and support our military families is very important to us.
The majority of our tenants at The Mall at Robinson are offering military discounts and wish to express our collective support to show our appreciation for our military families during these holidays and into the future.
"I think it was cruel, and it was heartless," Hilbert said.
Now Hilbert is scrambling and is racing the clock to locate another spot for their event.
"These people give everything for our country. We don't have a country without them being willing to raise their hand and to defend it, and they just don't deserve this treatment," Hilbert said.
"They're letting down a lot of kids this Christmas and families," Granite said.
KDKA reached out to Transformco for comment but has not heard back at this time.
Organizers need a space that's more than 70,000 sq ft.
If you can help or know of a location they can use, click here.
