'Better off burning $1000 in the middle of street'
VANCOUVER, Wash. (KOIN) -- At least a dozen vendors at the Vancouver Outdoor Expo contacted KOIN 6 News over what they said were promises made and not delivered. Specifically, organizer Shane Barbour promised thousands would attend -- but the event was largely empty.
The 3-day event at the Clark County Fairgrounds was billed as the "biggest show in the Northwest" with thousands expected to attend. Vendors said that's not what happened. They want answers. And they want their money back.
One of the vendors, Andrea Baker of Likeness of You, said Barbour sold dreams of big exposure for small businesses and promised a major turnout with tens of thousands of pre-sale tickets sold.
"People lost their livelihoods because of this," she said.
Billy Sanborn of Beach Bandit Crab Snares said he was initially on a waitlist.
"First thing I see is it's sold out with all these celebrities," he said.
But then he was personally called by Barbour and offered a spot. But when he arrived on Friday, he was hit with an additional $120 cost to turn on the power at his booth.
Instead of being busy with foot traffic all weekend, he said, all he got was a 3-day ghost town.
"He just hooked me. Fast talker, promised the world then ripped it underneath everybody," Sanborn said.
"I'm out a thousand bucks almost, that I probably would have been better of taking and burning in the middle of the street," said another vendor, Billy Sanborn of Beach Bandit Crab Snares. "Where'd that 55,000 pre-sold $10 tickets go?"
Baker, who said her business is "like $3000 in the hole right now," told KOIN 6 News vendors started dropping off their business cards with her after she went to the Clark County Sheriff's Office booth at the event and filed a police report.
A sheriff's office sergeant told KOIN 6 News they're investigating accusations of fraud but could not provide any more details.
In a phone interview with KOIN 6 News, Barbour denies any wrongdoing. He maintains he sold 30,000 pre-sale tickets but acknowledged the turnout was under what he expected.
Barbour admitted Ted Nugent did not show even though he was advertised to be there, but said five other 'celebrities' were in attendance. He told KOIN 6 News he plans to cancel the first-time show moving forward.
"He has more events coming up and they all should be stopped in their tracks," Baker said. "It should be criminal to go against single mothers, pregnant women, old people. These are small businesses."