More than 1k partiers flown in to Colorado town turned into Bud Light set leave after delays

This Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014 photo shows Elk Avenue as it is slowly transformed into a beer commercial set for ``Bud Light Blue,’’ in Crested Butte, Colo. Anheuser-Busch agreed to pay $500,000 to convert the town into a set for a Bud Light commercial, a sequel to the company’s ``Up for Whatever’’ Super Bowl ad that included Arnold Schwarzenegger. (AP Photo/P. Solomon Banda) (The Associated Press)

In this Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014 photo workers install a Welcome to Whatever, USA sign across Elk Avenue, in Crested Butte, Colo. Anheuser-Busch agreed to pay $500,000 to convert the town into a set for a Bud Light commercial, a sequel to the company’s ``Up for Whatever’’ Super Bowl ad that included Arnold Schwarzenegger. (AP Photo/P. Solomon Banda) (The Associated Press)

CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. – More than 1,000 people flown in to the small Colorado mountain town of Crested Butte for a Bud Light promotion have left after long flight delays.

The manager of the nearby small airport in Gunnison, Rick Lamport, said the last of the chartered flights took off at 10 p.m. Sunday, three hours late, because of problems with security screenings at the end of the "Whatever USA" weekend party.

Lamport said passengers were supposed to be screened by a private company before boarding buses to the airport. He said the system broke down, and event organizers asked the airport's screeners to take over around midday, creating a bottleneck.

The delays caused some to miss connecting flights. Organizers ordered pizza and other takeout food for those waiting to leave.