Area little league team among dozens that paid thousands and have nothing in return

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - These boys and their team mates spent months working hard to attend a week-long little league tournament in Omaha Nebraska.

“We did yard work,” Mason Hale said. “We mowed lawns.’’

“We had to go on the blocks of streets and sell water on hot days,” said Asher Tennant.

“We made them work for this and pay for it on their own,” said Emily Bailey.

Each boy had to raise $1200s each.

But the experience waiting for them in Nebraska at the end of June was well worth it.

Tara Tennant and her family attended the Omaha Champions Village Little League World Series last year and was anxious to do it again.

“It was a great experience for those 12 year-old boys and that’s why we wanted these guys to have that same experience," Tennant said.

“I’d been waiting on this for like 3 months,’’ said Evan Jackson.

Tennant and her family were making the drive to Nebraska when Chad Jennings one of the owners of Omaha Champions Village called with bad news.

A tornado the night before had destroyed the baseball fields.

Their World Series was canceled.

“It was heartbreaking to look into their eyes and tell them that because it was something they had worked hard for,” Tennant said.

They went on to Nebraska where Tennant says Chad Jennings assured them the $8,700 the team paid for the tournament would be returned in 10 days.

10 days came and went with no refund.

“There’s been zero communication,’’ Bailey said.

Dozens of other teams all over the country say they’re in the same boat.

Out thousands of dollars.

Our sister station KPTM In Omaha tried to track down Jennings and his partner Don Hill to get answers.

But right now it appears the two are nowhere to be found.

The city of Bellevue owns the land where Omaha Champions Village is located.

Rita Sanders the mayor of Bellevue tells KPTM the city is putting pressure on the company to respond to unhappy parents and give them their money back.