South Dakota hotel faces DOJ lawsuit over alleged discrimination against Native Americans

Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY
·2 min read
5

The Department of Justice is suing a hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota over a policy that allegedly prohibited Native Americans, federal prosecutors announced last week.

The lawsuit alleges that Grand Gateway Hotel, and the casino on the property, Cheers Sports Lounge and Casino, “discriminated against Native American customers through policies and practices that denied Native Americans the full and equal enjoyment of access to the services, accommodations and privileges,” according to a DOJ news release.

The discrimination had taken place since at least March 20, the DOJ said, and violated Native Americans’ civil rights.

The hotel’s corporate owner, the Retsel Corporation and two individuals, Connie Uhre and Nicholas Uhre, are listed as defendants.

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According to the lawsuit, Connie Uhre wrote: “I really do not want to allow Natives on property…  they [sic] kill each other walk around with guns… The problem is we do not know the nice ones from the bad natives…so we just have to say no to them!!” in response to an email chain started by Nicholas Uhre.

A screengrab of a Facebook comment from March 20 was included in the complaint. In it, an account by the name of Connie Uhre writes, “We will no longer allow any Native American on property. Or in Cheers Sports Bar. Natives killing Natives,” citing a recent killing that had taken place on the property.

In the same post, the account offered “Rancher and travelers” a “very special” rate of $59 a night.

A screengrab of a Facebook comment submitted with the Department of Justice's complaint.
A screengrab of a Facebook comment submitted with the Department of Justice's complaint.

Prosecutors also reference two incidents of the policy allegedly being enacted in the lawsuit.

In one case, a hotel worker denied a stay to two Native Americans in March, citing a policy against renting to locals, according to the lawsuit. The next day, five Native American members of the NDN Collective, an Indigenous rights nonprofit, were also denied lodging at the hotel, according to the lawsuit.

In March, NDN Collective sued the hotel in connection to that incident, court documents show. The organization said in a statement last week that it had led boycotts and protests against the Uhres for months.

“Our hope is that the DOJ and courts will shut down the Grand Gateway Hotel and Cheers for the owners’ violation of the civil and inherent rights of Native peoples," Nick Tilsen, president of NDN Collective, said in the statement.

An attorney for the Uhres was not listed in a federal court database on Sunday.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DOJ sues South Dakota hotel for alleged Native American discrimination