I have respect for Gordie as well. Smart business guy, good marketer, and does well by the community.
I just don't think it is a smart business move doing a stunt to raise money for charity when he has hundreds of customers (according to the TC) who have just been stiffed (at least) tens of thousands of dollars.
If I was one of those customers I would be pretty upset.
What does one have to do with the other? It's not like he just invented a philanthropic persona to make up for an unfortunate business decision. Gordy Dodd is a stud and has been doing this stuff for years. From what I understand, he came from nothing and has never forgot it, by giving back to the less fortunate all the time. The man doesn't deserve to be maligned.
As for the free trips to Las Vegas debacle, Dodd's hooked up with a promotional company that had been around since the 1980s; it wasn't a fly-by-night operation. And I hear at the end of the day, Dodd's will be out the money because he plans on reimbursing his customers - because that's the kind of guy he is. I know a lot of business folks - and I'm not excluding developersm, here - who would wash their hands of the whole thing and walk away.