Upcoming Fort Myers Half Marathon canceled for March 4

Registrants of the Fort Myers Half Marathon scheduled for March 4 have received emails stating the event has been canceled.

If this sounds familiar, you’re right. A race scheduled for November 5, 2017 was also ‘postponed’ nine days before the event, with hundreds of participants receiving an email that the race wouldn’t be taking place.

WINK News first reported in January that the company has an “F” rating with the Better Business Bureau and more than a dozen complaints. The complaints describe two other races, one in New York and one on Fort Myers Beach that were canceled less than a week before the events.

Consumers wrote BBB stating that they could not get refunds for registration fees.

MORE: Fort Myers Marathon postponed leaving runners asking for refunds, answers

Runners that signed up for the November 2017 Fort Myers Marathon and Half Marathon were given a choice to transfer their registration to a race in Palm Beach in December; the half marathon in Fort Myers in March which was just canceled; or to the full marathon in Fort Myers that is being planned for November 2018.

WINK News uncovered that less than a month before the Fort Myers Half Marathon scheduled for March 4, the organizer still did not have all permits in place for the event.

When we first talked to John Mathews, the owner of Sunshine State Races, in January, he said it is not unusual for race planners to actively collect registrations while they are still working to get all of their permits.

He told WINK News by email Thursday that there was not enough runner interest for the March 4 date.

“The November races is already well attended and barring another hurricane … it will go on as planned,” Mathews said.

As of Thursday morning, tickets were still on sale for the Fort Myers Full Marathon for November 4, 2018.

Mathews said anyone who wishes to have money refunded can email support@sunshinestateraces.com