Kansas City wedding venue the subject of Attorney General lawsuit

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City wedding venue is the subject of a lawsuit filed by Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster.

In the lawsuit, Koster said that West Bottoms Hospitality, LLC and the owner, Ryan Ronney Crowell, canceled wedding ceremonies without refunding customers. 

The suit came as a result of more than 50 complaints filed with the consumer protection division of the Missouri AG’s office.   Koster alleges the company failed to refund customers more than $40,000 for canceled events.

For Kayla Favrow, her wedding day turned into a nightmare.

"Awful.  Planning my wedding was probably the worst thing I have ever been through,” Favrow said.

Favrow said Crowell canceled weeks before her wedding date.  She had to scramble to get a new location.  

“I had to take out significant loans to have the wedding that I didn't get to have.  I am just dealing with it.  I'm just hoping something happens,” she said.

The suit alleges that Crowell contracted with customers from at least September, 2010 through April, 2011 to rent out the historic Stowe Building in the city’s West Bottoms district for wedding ceremonies and to provide related services. 

Koster is seeking an injunction.  He asks consumers who have contracted with West Bottoms Hospitality and had issues with services to contact the consumer hotline at 1-800-392-8222 or file a complaint at www.ago.mo.gov

Late Wednesday afternoon, Crowell returned phone calls.  He said he got into business trouble at the Stowe building dealing with Kansas City issues like approval for liquor licenses.  He tried to honor contracts at another business location.  

“I am not a dishonest person,” Crowell said.  

Read the court documents: http://media2.nbcactionnews.com/NWT/pdf/20120215_AGvsCrowell.pdf