In a development that shocked much of the steampunk world, the Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention (WWWC) abruptly shut down Saturday afternoon following an outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness that affected some participants.
The convention, scheduled for March 20-23, was held at Casino Del Sol (CDS), a casino resort on Pascua Yaqui tribal land near Tucson, Arizona. The shutdown was ordered by the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Medical Authority, which has jurisdiction over public health measures at the resort.
On Tuesday, after days of vague statements about the illness, CDS identified norovirus as the cause. The resort stated that the shutdown was needed to enable “deep cleaning” and sanitation of potentially contaminated areas.
But WWWC management and attendees have criticized the resort’s handling of the situation, particularly what they described as a lack of communication from the venue.
Vendors were given two hours to vacate the premises, and all hotel guests associated with the convention were told to check out. None were permitted to spend the night, the organizers said.
Meanwhile, hotel guests not affiliated with the convention were allowed to stay. The casino and restaurants remained open even though WWWC attendees had frequented those areas during the convention.
In comments on social media, some attendees have suggested food poisoning as a possible alternate cause—a point that drew a rebuke from a CDS spokesperson. However, it’s not entirely clear how the Tribal Medical Authority determined that norovirus was the culprit, beyond statements from guests who believed they had the illness.
“To be frank, this situation has been given far more attention than it warrants,” the spokesperson said via email. “Venues and events across the country experience norovirus cases from time to time, and this is simply a case of a group being unhappy with Casino Del Sol’s decision to prioritize the health and safety of all guests, team members, and tribal members.”
How It Happened
Here’s what we know about how the outbreak unfolded, based on statements from the resort and the WWWC organizers.
Deena Jo Drotman, one of two co-owners of WWWC, told local TV station KOLD that she began feeling sick on Wednesday night, March 19, the day before the convention opened. “It didn’t occur to me that I caught something contagious at the time,” she told the outlet.
At some point thereafter, other participants began experiencing symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. The symptoms usually lasted 12 to 24 hours, the organizers said in a press release (PDF link), but in some cases symptoms lasted longer. Some individuals were hospitalized.
It’s unclear how many participants were affected, but they included management, staff, and vendors in addition to guests. Jason Drotman, Deena’s husband and the other co-owner, was also stricken. Approximately six hotel guests notified the front desk about their symptoms, Deena said, but she added that she’s not sure when they did so.
On Saturday, as more participants were stricken, the Drotmans informed the CDS event coordinator about the outbreak. Then, at 3:20 p.m., they were called into a brief meeting and told that the Tribal Medical Authority had ordered the shutdown due to an “ongoing medical situation.”
CDS did not provide additional details despite repeated requests for more information, the organizers said.
“There was no discussion, and we have no insight into the internal discussions within CDS or any other involved groups,” the organizers said.
As of Tuesday, they said they hadn’t heard from CDS management since Saturday, around the time when the vendors were getting ready to depart.
The shutdown also forced cancellation of a Saturday evening concert featuring Marquis of Vaudeville and Madam Misfit. It would have been Madam Misfit’s second concert appearance in the U.S., following performances last summer at the Key City Steampunk Convention in Pennsylvania.
Turning to Social Media
As the convention was clearing out, WWWC and CDS management both posted statements about the situation on their respective Facebook pages. The WWWC statement was widely shared, alerting the steampunk world at large about what had happened.
“Due to ongoing medical concerns, we regret to inform all interested that Wild Wild West Con has been shut down by Casino Del Sol,” WWWC stated. “Unfortunately, we do not have any further information to provide but will give updates as soon as they’re available.”
CDS posted this: “This afternoon a member of a group staying at Casino Del Sol informed management that a member of their group had a contagious virus and a few other members were showing symptoms. Out of caution we informed the group that they should stop the remainder of their festivities. The health and welfare of our guests and team members is of paramount importance and we will provide updates as needed. Casino Del Sol remains open for business.”
Later, the resort replaced the first post with this: “Some attendees of a convention on-site have begun experiencing stomach flu-like symptoms. Out of an abundance of caution, the event has ceased operations. The health and safety of our guests remain our top priority, and we are working closely with local health officials to assess the situation. Casino Del Sol remains open and operating as usual.”
CDS later removed the statement.
WWWC also posted a second statement, but it was removed following a “strong request” from CDS, the organizers said. That statement detailed some of the symptoms reported by attendees and advised guests to wear masks “when in spaces with immune-compromised individuals or when attending business or work events for the next several days.”
On Sunday, March 23, CDS issued another statement in response queries from local TV station KVOA, describing the outbreak simply as an “illness” affecting “individuals attending an event at our property.”
Was It Norovirus?
CDS first reported norovirus as the cause in a statement distributed Tuesday to local media outlets.
“Casino Del Sol was informed that individuals attending a private event at our property were experiencing illness,” the resort stated. “An individual associated with the event informed Casino Del Sol management that a guest of the group reported that she had norovirus and at least two attendees were already ill before arriving at the event. By Saturday, March 22, additional attendees, as well as a few Casino Del Sol team members, reported experiencing stomach flu-like symptoms.”
The earlier CDS Facebook statements had already led to speculation that norovirus might be the cause. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website describes the pathogen as “a very contagious virus” and “the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea, and foodborne illness in the United States.”
Norovirus cases have been on the rise in the Tucson area since early January, according to reports in local media outlets.
But how did the Tribal Medical Authority confirm norovirus as the cause, as opposed to other possible culprits such as food poisoning? Were any employees or attendees tested for norovirus or other foodborne pathogens?
We posed these questions to the spokesperson.
“Doctors do not routinely test for norovirus; they treat symptoms,” she replied. “The illness was self-reported by a guest attending the event. The Casino does not have access to guests’ or employees’ private medical information due to HIPAA regulations.”
(HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, is a federal law designed to protect patient privacy, though it allows patients to voluntarily share their medical information.)
And what about the food poisoning theory?
“This was not food poisoning,” the spokesperson said. “Several Casino Del Sol team members who reported symptoms had not eaten on the property for over a week. Additionally, no other guests or staff outside of the event attendees reported illness. Casino Del Sol follows strict procedures to track food-related illnesses, noting what was eaten, where, and when, and monitoring for any additional reports. No such pattern emerged.”
If it was norovirus—a highly contagious pathogen—why did the Tribal Medical Authority allow the hotel and casino to stay open?
“The hotel remained open because this was a contained situation involving specific event attendees—not the general public or hotel guests at large,” the spokesperson said.
In her comments to KOLD, Deena observed that without a “CDC-level investigation,” it would be impossible to say how the outbreak started. “It could have been anyone, maybe one of their customers, it could have been one of ours,” she said.
Was It An Outbreak?
The spokesperson also objected to our use of the term “outbreak” to describe what happened, but in doing so, she mischaracterized how the term is defined.
“A small number of individuals self-reported stomach flu-like symptoms, which does not meet public health criteria for an outbreak,” she said. “The decision to close the event space was made out of an abundance of caution, not due to any official outbreak declaration. The Casino Del Sol never stated this was an outbreak; any reports with this language are causing unnecessary public alarm and are sensational.”
Despite that claim, the situation clearly met the definition of “outbreak” used by the CDC and other public health authorities.
The CDC defines a norovirus outbreak as “an occurrence of two or more similar illnesses resulting from a common exposure that is either suspected or laboratory-confirmed to be caused by norovirus.”
The agency uses a similar definition for outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, commonly referred to as “food poisoning”: “An incident in which two or more persons experience a similar illness resulting from the ingestion of a common food.”
Communication Breakdown
The convention’s major beef with the venue relates to the lack of communication, not the decision to shut down the event, the organizers said.
“It became painfully clear that shutting down the convention was the right step, and had WWWC been part of the decision-making process, our conclusion would have been the same,” the organizers said Tuesday. “We are heartbroken over the suffering caused by this baffling illness, and our thoughts and prayers are with every affected individual—particularly those most vulnerable, including our elderly, children, and immunocompromised guests. We truly wish we had more information to ease your concerns.”
That was before they learned—via a statement released to the media—that CDS had identified norovirus as the cause.
“We want to be clear that this is the first time we have been made aware of this development and it was provided to the press rather than to our staff or management,” they said.
Looking Ahead
This was the convention’s fourth year at CDS, but now the organizers say they’re on the lookout for a new venue in the Tucson area.
Meanwhile, they’re planning a free, three-day virtual event that will include an evening concert. It’s set for May 16-18.
They’re also using their Facebook page to promote vendors who lost business as a result of the early shutdown. Vendors are also listed in the convention program, which can be downloaded from the website.
This story was updated with information about a statement issued to KVOA on Sunday, March 23.
