CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The owners and operators of a Clarksville hotel have agreed to settle allegations that the hotel violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) after failing to honor a reservation made for an accessible room by someone with a disability.
In a Wednesday press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, Triumph Hospitality, LLC and A&S Hospitality Management, LLC—which both own and operate the Garner Hotel—will pay $5,000 on top of a $2,000 civil penalty.
The complainant allegedly reserved an accessible room, but the Garner Hotel reportedly failed to honor the reservation when the complainant went to the check-in desk. Additionally, the hotel employee at the check-in desk "made insensitive and inappropriate comments regarding the complainant’s disability, including questioning the complainant’s disabled status while other individuals in the hotel’s lobby and the complainant’s family were present."
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the Garner Hotel's owners and operators will implement an ADA policy that is compliant with the Code of Federal Regulations sections pertaining to hotels. The owners will also have to conduct ADA training.
"We are committed to enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities in Tennessee,” acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski said. "Hotels must have systems in place to effectively manage reservations made for accessible rooms by individuals with disabilities. Questioning a hotel guest’s disability status is prohibited under the ADA and is not an appropriate response when a hotel fails to honor a reservation for an accessible room."
Follow this link for more information on the ADA or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383. You can also send an email with any ADA complaints.