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'It's A Major Hit': Phish Concert Campout Cancellations Hurt Coral Amayi's Business

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (CBS4)– First the good news: the Phish concerts will continue as scheduled at Dick's Sporting Goods Park over Labor Day weekend. The bad news: no overnight camping will be allowed because of ongoing concerns with plague.

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"I definitely wanted to crawl into my room and cry for a minute with my cat," Coral Amayi, a long-time Phish fan, told CBS4.

Amayi was really looking forward to camping at the concerts this year. It's a tradition she's had with her family and friends for seven years.

"There's like 150 of us that come from all around for this," she said.

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Coral Amayi (credit: CBS)

Not only was Amayi excited for the shows, she was anxious to debut a new item from her company, Dance Clean.

"I created this idea at Phish a few years ago," she told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann.

It's called Concert Mix, an all-natural, caffeine-free energy drink mix packed with vitamins, Amayi explained, designed for dancers and concert-goers who need that extra kick.

"I wanted something that was going to be tasty, give me all the energy and vitamins, wasn't a $10 beer, and I came up with this idea," she said. "I was really hoping to get the product to 30,000 people."

However, the plague-infested fleas affecting prairie dog colonies not far from Dick's Sporting Goods Park is kind of killing her vibe and her business.

"It's a major hit because I really haven't made a profit yet," Amayi said. "It's a little bit worrisome."

Although there are no human cases, health officials have set restrictions for the upcoming concert. The Tri-County Health Department said the shows could go on, but camping in the unpaved areas and grass is cancelled, and vendors are not permitted.

"I hear the prairie dogs are setting up a flea market over in the dirt lots," Amayi joked.

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Even though she's bummed with the decision to cancel the campout and restrict the traditional open-air market, Amayi understands the concerns and is looking on the bright side.

"We all see that Dick's Sporting Goods [Park] made the biggest effort to make sure the show goes on," she said. "People are figuring things out…I have a couple hotel rooms booked, so now I'm just finding out where the party one is going to be."

All camping tickets and RV tickets will be automatically refunded. The parking will be restricted to asphalt lots and no parking will be allowed on unpaved lots or the grass. That means free off-site parking with free shuttles will be available for those attending the concert. Ticket holders will be notified of the changes once plans are finalized over the next week

LINKS: Phish: Dick's Sporting Goods Park | Dance Clean

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