Local business owners accuse former promoter of fraud; council and staff outline legal avenues

Several downtown business owners urged the Coeur d'Alene City Council on Feb. 18 to investigate what they described as fraudulent conduct by concert promoter Tyler Davis and to improve city notice when the city ends vendor contracts.

At public comment, Tricia Whitney, owner of a local hospitality business, said Davis “continued to accept money, lying about the status of the concert series and misleading business owners, season ticket holders, and community members even after his contract with the city was terminated on June 18.” She cited Idaho Code 18-3101 in describing the conduct as fraud and said some businesses lost money because they did not learn the city had ended its contract.

Whitney said the city’s public statements were insufficient and asked for “acknowledgment, accountability, and the commitment to better oversight in the future.” She said she only asked for transparency — that the city notify affected vendors when it severs a contract — and added, “We just want action taken.”

Tyler Davis himself spoke during public comment, saying he has spent roughly $350,000 building the series over 12 years and that Davis Enterprises Inc. would be “lawyered up” if the city did not engage. Davis said he believed he was “fully funded” and disputed claims that vendors were owed for the 2023 season; he acknowledged some unpaid items and said the company lost about $50,000 that season.

Council members asked staff about options for affected vendors and residents. City Attorney Ryan (last name not specified in the record) told council that vendors have two primary options: a civil suit by vendors against the individual or entity with which they contracted, or, if a crime is suspected, filing a police report so the police can investigate and submit evidence to prosecutors for criminal charges. He added that changes to municipal code to provide additional protections could be considered over a longer timeframe.

Parks and Recreation Director Bill Greenwood said the city terminated its contract with Davis after attempts to secure required information failed. Greenwood described multiple meetings with Davis during which staff told him the city was “done,” and said one early deposit check had bounced; staff had given Davis additional chances before termination. Greenwood also said the city’s normal event-posting on its website is intended to notify the public of events but is not a city endorsement or guarantee of vendors’ solvency.

Councilmembers indicated they would look at internal changes to improve vendor oversight and public notification. Councilwoman Kiki Wood said she would work to better notify the press and the public in the future. Mayor Woody McEvers and other council members warned that closed-door meetings with counsel are not lawful for discussing city business and encouraged anyone seeking mediation to work with city staff in public forums or through appropriate legal channels.

The council did not take a formal vote on remedies at the Feb. 18 meeting. Staff recommended that affected vendors consult counsel for civil claims and file police reports if they believe criminal acts occurred. Greenwood and Ryan said staff would review whether contract language could be tightened to require vendors to supply vendor lists and to require notification to subcontractors in case of contract cancellation.