Joplin  city officials have been under fire regarding the controversy surrounding Travis Tritt’s withdrawal from a concert to remember 9/11.

Tritt decided not to perform at the show after public backlash, releasing a statement to the city saying that he had just learned where the money was coming from, and that he, “will not have any part of any memorial service or remembrance that is not based in the truth or could hurt other victims.”

 The city feels differently.

“His statement was misinformation,” Patrick Tuttle, director of the Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, said.

“It wasn’t totally accurate. They tried to take the high road and left us hanging, which is not how you do business.

“I’m disappointed. It would have been a good event. He’s a good artist,” Tuttle said. “I saw him down at Ft. Smith and talked to his tour manager face to face, and it was good.

“For them to say they didn’t know was—maybe Travis didn’t know, but for them to say they didn’t know is a wrong statement.”

The citizen’s outcry has reached the ears of Attorney General Chris Koster.

Koster’s office made a statement to The Chart, saying, “We are reviewing the situation related to the concert in Joplin that was canceled. We should have more information later this week.”

The city feels that it will be able to show the Attorney General that all things were all done legally.

“There’s been some peopl, the citizens, that have asked it be looked into, and that’s fine,” Tuttle said.

“Bring it on. That’s part of doing business. Everything was done above board.”

Tuttle said the city had raised $85,000 in corporate sponsorships.

The sponsorships could only be aquired after the talent was confirmed because donors would not commit the money until after the talent was signed. All money was returned to donors after Tritt canceled.