Former Dothan tourism chief faces federal jail time

The former head of the city of Dothan’s tourism bureau is facing federal jail time for bank fraud. The case was connected to a music festival in 2018 in Iowa. Defendant Aaron McCreight, and another leader of a tourism board in Cedar Rapids, Iowa will each serve over a year in federal prison for defrauding a bank. Prosecutors say the scheme was in support of a music festival that lost over two million dollars. McCreight had been hired as head of tourism for the City of Dothan. City officials stood by him after the charges were announced. The Dothan Eagle reported last week that McCreight had resigned. He and a co-defendant admitted defrauding a Cedar Rapids bank to get loans for the festival called Newbo Evolve. The three-day music event included performances by the band Maroon 5 and singer Kelly Clarkson. McCreight was sentenced to eighteen months. Co-defendant Douglas Hargrave was sentenced to fifteen months. The Des Moines Register reports that both also were ordered together to pay more than $1.4 million in restitution. Prosecutor says as the event dates approached, the tourism agency did not have the money to pay Clarkson or buy alcohol for the concert venue. GO Cedar Rapids, where McCreight and Hargrave worked, couldn't repay a $1.5 million loan from Bankers Trust or $800,000 promised to vendors and eventually went out of business.