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The Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City, S.D. – already embroiled in legal battles – now faces yet another discrimination lawsuit.
It’s the latest development since the business and its policies were vaulted into national attention last summer.
South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s C.J. Keene reports.
The hotel has been entrenched in legal battles since ownership last year posted to social media their intentions to ‘ban any Native from property’ – leading to months of protests and multiple lawsuits.
In addition to blaming the mayor, police chief, sheriff, candidate for sheriff and the court system, a local hotel bans all Native Americans for a shooting a few days ago on hotel property. Neither the shooting or Grand Gateway’s response to it reflect our community values. pic.twitter.com/vA9oXND0qi
— Steve Allender (@Just_Allender) March 21, 2022
Those properties include the Grand Gateway and Cheers Lounge in Rapid City.
The latest suit, from a Wisconsin family, alleges they were denied service at the hotel based on the race of a Native family member.
Court documents say Jessica White, who is Caucasian, was not bothered as she attempted to check into the hotel on vacation this August.
Her husband Ryan, who is Native, unloaded their car and entered the lobby second.
The lawsuit alleges the employee abruptly denied the couple service or honor the booking after Ryan entered.
After contacting Travelocity, the family confirmed the family had three rooms reserved at the hotel.
Despite Travelocity confirming the booking and speaking to hotel staff, the employee still refused the family the rooms.
At this point, the employee of the hotel reportedly told the Travelocity representative, who spoke with an accent, to “speak English,” which the lawsuit alleges reinforced the racial nature of the incident.
Further, the family says the employee told Ryan to leave the lobby, called for security, and told security to bring backup before then telling Jessica he would be calling dispatch.
Feeling threatened for the safety of himself and his children, Ryan White then left the hotel.
The lawsuit alleges the White family was not refused service on plausible basis, and instead were the victims of unlawful discrimination which fits into a larger pattern for the business.
The suit asks for the courts to declare the hotels conduct unlawful and for the family to be reimbursed attorney fees and awarded damages at trial.
Owner Connie Uhre has already been convicted of two counts of simple assault for an incident in May which saw her spray cleaner at protesters.
Representatives from the hotel did not return request for comment.
Photo: Lina Tran
Milwaukee County signed a rights of nature resolution last week, becoming the first in Wisconsin to endorse the Indigenous legal movement.
Lina Tran of member station WUWM reports.
The resolution was signed steps from the Menominee River, which plays a central role in the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin’s creation story.
Now, the county recognizes the water’s right to thrive.
Here’s Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.
“That’s exactly why we’re here today. To state clearly and unequivocally that Milwaukee County land and waterways deserves to be protected and maintained to be healthy, robust, and resilient.”
Guy Reiter is a Menominee citizen and leads the movement in the state. He likened the moment to the Moon landing.
“This is one step for man and then a huge step for our environment and that’s the way I think about it. Because it’s been a very long time that we’ve been able to think of our environment as a part of us. As not something that’s external, but it is internal.”
The resolution doesn’t have the teeth of legal penalties. But organizers hope it inspires communities across the state to take similar steps.
Photo: Lina Tran
Megan Keller is a member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. She said the resolution is an important tool.
“So, I feel like having this legal framework to stand on will help further that cause, but also really prevent people from being like traumatized and punished for standing up for our Mother.”
She said Indigenous women especially have been criminalized for protecting water in the Great Lakes. Rights of nature gives them legs to stand on.
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