Visitors being turned away after Jurassic World exhibit vandalized

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Jurassic World Exhibition in Atlanta is extinct for now after being vandalized. The news has left many fans disappointed.

It’s an experience that sisters Melody Trapani and Marcy Crosby had been looking forward to.

“She says to me, we better not be driving five hours from home, spending the night in a hotel, for you just to cover your eyes when you’re going through,” said Trapani jokingly.

They pulled up to Pullman Yards for the Jurassic World exhibition, the closest you will get to a real dinosaur experience, only to find out it is closed.

“Thank God I didn’t bring my grandchildren because I would not want to deal with their tears,” said Crosby.

Several customers drove great distances only to be disappointed, including one family from Charleston, South Carolina.

“I had no idea. I just arrived and you all were the first to tell us that it had been vandalized and we were not going to be able to see anything today, so it was very disappointing,” Jurassic World Customer Sabrina Stephens said.

Atlanta police said the exhibit was vandalized Sunday night. Four people were seen on surveillance video who police are looking at as suspects. They arrested one man, 19-year-old Acauan Carvalho Van Deusen. In the meantime, the exhibit had to be shut down.

“It makes me feel very bad, especially yesterday after seeing all the kids leaving here crying,” said Louis Nolan, a security guard at Pullman Yards.

“Everything is all torn down, wires are all disconnected. How did they get up to the top of the ceiling, I don’t know,” said Nolan.

Nolan and APD said he helped track down one of the suspects.

“I saw them all on camera, on the footage that we took of them,” he said of the four people seen on the surveillance footage.

Trapani and Crosby are disappointed, but they say they will definitely try to come back when the exhibit reopens. They had one message for the vandals responsible.

“You probably have talents, use them for something creative to help people but not destroy things that bring joy to others,” said Trapani.

Nolan said they hope to reopen in the next four to five days.

Neon Global, the group that runs the exhibit, said customers will receive an email with instructions on how to rebook. Customers can also apply for a refund by emailing hello@feverup.com.

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