THORNTON, Colo. — Prom is supposed to be one of those unforgettable rites of passage.
"It's nice to let go and celebrate – 'look we've made it this far,'" Thornton High School Junior Class President Samantha Neri said.
But a wrench was thrown into their plans after Neri saw a post on Facebook Friday night announcing the sudden closure of Noah's Event Center in Westminster.
"So, I check the comments, and I was like, 'oh wait, Noah's?' I was like our prom is supposed to be at Noah's," she said.
Federal bankruptcy court forced Noah's to take drastic actions, including the closing of the location in Westminster.
"So I screenshot it, and I texted my advisor, and I was like, 'should we be freaking out? What do we do?," she added.
"There was a lot of freaking out by Sam, our junior class president since she planned it," Student Congress Advisor Leslie Yeager said.
Even though they booked the venue more than a year ago and paid $5,000, most of the kids had no idea until Monday.
"She kept it such a good secret that our student body wasn't fully aware yet that we were supposed to go to Noah's for prom," Yeager said.
They're making calls hoping to find a new spot. They need a little help and have had community members reach out too. But it's scheduled for April 4 and needs to hold 450 to 500 people.
They're confident it'll be even better than before. Right now, the search is the main focus.
Noah's corporate sent emails to some people who booked with them early Monday, saying some building owners around the country may still allow for events to be held. Denver7 reached out about whether that includes the Westminster location, but have yet to hear back.
Previous coverage:
Denver-area couples say they're out thousands after wedding venue abruptly closes
Sudden closure of Noah's Event Center leaves Commerce City family's quinceañera plans up in air