{"id":116470,"date":"2019-10-04T15:03:29","date_gmt":"2019-10-04T22:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=116470"},"modified":"2019-10-04T17:14:12","modified_gmt":"2019-10-05T00:14:12","slug":"vegas-soccer-team-denies-faa-claim-warning-against-cash-drop-promo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/vegas-soccer-team-denies-faa-claim-warning-against-cash-drop-promo\/","title":{"rendered":"Las Vegas Lights Denies FAA Claim It Warned Soccer Club About $10K Cash Drop Halftime Promo (VIDEO)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a halftime promotional event at a professional soccer game in Las Vegas last month involving a helicopter that dropped cash and casino vouchers on the field for selected fans to collect. However, while Las Vegas Lights FC is not the target of the agency\u2019s review, the team\u2019s owner told Casino.org<\/em> Friday he disputed a claim club officials were told they could not conduct a giveaway in such a manner.<\/p>\n

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The Las Vegas Lights held a cash drop promotion during a game last year, shown above. Club CEO Brett Lashbrook disputed an FAA claim that the agency told them not to hold another, which the club did last month. The pilot involved in that drop is under investigation. (Image: Las Vegas Lights FC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Sept. 7, the Lights, which play in the United Soccer League (USL) Championship league, held its second annual \u201cHelicopter Money Drop.\u201d The team hired Skyline Helicopter Tours, a North Las Vegas company, to fly above Cashman Field for the event, which was sponsored by Plaza Hotel and Casino.<\/p>\n

FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told Casino.org<\/em> Friday that the agency is investigating the pilot who flew the helicopter for flying at a low altitude in a crowded area. Specifically, FAA regulations<\/a> state a pilot flying in a congested area must maintain an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within 2,000 feet of the helicopter.<\/p>\n

Attendance for the Saturday night game was 6,308 in Las Vegas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe investigated a similar incident at a Lights game last year and required the pilot to go through remedial training,\u201d Gregor said. \u201cThe pilot and helicopter company involved in this year’s incident are different from those involved in last year’s incident.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gregor said the agency explained why such an event couldn\u2019t be held.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t expect to see a repeat,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Lights CEO: Event ‘Widely Promoted’<\/h2>\n

Brett Lashbrook, the Lights owner and CEO, said the FAA never told his team they couldn\u2019t do the cash drop again.<\/p>\n

This was widely promoted from months on end,” he said. “This was incredibly widely promoted. We did nothing to hide this. We did everything we could to shout this from the mountaintop\u2026 We promoted this far-and-wide. It\u2019s our biggest game of the year. For the FAA to now act surprised that it was going to occur with all the public promotion and the flight plans that were submitted is incredibly surprising for us to hear.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A Google search showed the team promoted the event as early as February, a month before the second-tier professional league began its 2019 season. In addition, videos and social media posts were found also hyping the event.<\/p>\n

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\ud83d\ude81\ud83e\udd11\ud83d\udcb5 WE DID IT … AGAIN!!! \ud83d\ude81\ud83e\udd11\ud83d\udcb5 @SkylineHeli<\/a> #LightsCashDrop<\/a> #VivaLights<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/BN66JadxtT<\/a><\/p>\n

— Las Vegas Lights FC (@lvlightsfc) September 8, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n