That would suck if it turns out that way.....
ROCKFEST
FAR FROM ROCK SOLID
Top Bands Seeking Payment;
Many others as well
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ - The potential for a major black eye for Lake Havasu City is there. The first Lake Havasu City Rockfest, heavily promoted by local businessman Ron Paterson, is now the subject of major criminal investigations. TSN has learned numerous entities have not been paid at all or have had their checks bounce or stop payments applied. Complaints have come in from various sources, including event security personnel, various vendors and many of the rock bands themselves - including The Black Crowes, Cheap Trick, The Doobie Brothers, Live, and Slightly Stoopid. Those performers and others are owed substantial sums of money.
One person complained directly to TSN. John Espinoza of Intense Creations, the $10,000 winner of the motorcycle build-off, says he wasn’t paid despite repeated attempts at getting a check from Paterson. Espinoza says Paterson “doesn’t deserve” to have another Rockfest next year.
Also, the liquor license at the event was put under the name of the Pop Warner Youth Football program and not under PatersonÂ’s name, say several sources. The reasons are not detailed, but Paterson earlier said the organization would be receiving a percentage as a charity. ItÂ’s not understood why and itÂ’s still not clear who was actually paid at all. Repeated attempts to reach Paterson on his private phone yesterday were not returned.
Contacted by TSN, Lake Havasu City Police Chief Dan Doyle says “several” criminal investigations are currently taking place. That number may possibly increase.
Meanwhile, Paterson has publicly stated that 35,000 attended the Rockfest and yet thousands of tickets were counterfeited. The 35,000 figure is disputed by most observers, who say a much lower number attended the event.
Lake Havasu City itself may well receive bad publicity. One manager of a band that performed at Rockfest told TSN that management companies and agents tend to think of the city where the event took place in a negative way if they donÂ’t receive their payment.
TSN and e-Press will stay on top of this story. Companies or individuals should contact us via email at epress@maddog.net if they werenÂ’t compensated for services rendered.