The annual Texas Gatorfest, celebrating alligators an hour east of Houston in Chambers County, was canceled as reports surfaced of a financial scandal involving the organization hosting the event.
The festival was set for Sept. 11 in Anahuac until the Chambers County Sheriff’s Office said it was launching a fraud investigation into the Anahuac Area Chamber of Commerce, according to a report by the Seabreeze Beacon. A credit card opened under the name of the organization’s former executive director was still being used and was not closed when she left.
The former director found that her credit score had been affected after receiving a bank notice that the old credit card had been maxed out at about $20,000.
The Seabreeze Beacon reported that the group’s new executive director had also opened up two new credit cards — one in the name of the chamber of commerce and the other for Texas Gatorfest — and maxed out both. The amount owed is estimated to be around $60,000.
Following the local media outlet’s article on Wednesday, Texas Gatorfest Chairman Willie Lancon posted on social media that they would be canceling this year’s event, citing “recent circumstances” as the reason.
“This decision was not made lightly,” Lancon said. “However, at this time, we believe it is in the best interest of the event, our partners, and the community to pause and allow for a thorough review and restructuring process.”
Lancon said organizers were “committed to addressing current concerns and working toward a stronger future for the festival.”
The three-day Gatorfest first started in 1989 when the Texas legislature designated Anahuac as “the Alligator Capital of Texas.” Since then, the festival has grown larger, with weekend crowds reaching 20,000 some years.