Local NAACP critical of many hotel practices

Art Nadler

Thursday, April 17, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

The NAACP has given many of America's hotels failing grades when it comes to the inclusion of blacks in all aspects of their operations.

Sixteen hotel chains were surveyed, eight were rated and eight received failing marks for not providing information. The hotels were scrutinized in areas of employment, equity and franchise ownership, vendor relationships, advertising, marketing and philanthropic activities.

"We seek an end to the one-way trade relationship," Kweisi Mfume, NAACP president, said in a written statement. "We have designed this initiative to bring about radical and fundamental change in our relationship with corporative America. We are implementing our own program, which is long overdue."

The Rev. James Rogers, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's Las Vegas branch, said Wednesday that he has heard of problems in the Nevada resort industry. He declined to elaborate on them.

"I have been appalled at the reports coming into this office," Rogers said. "If we find there is widespread disparity in Las Vegas hotels, we will go to the 1971 law."

In a June 4, 1971, federal court consent decree, members of the Nevada Resort Association pledged they would not discriminate because of race in employment opportunities, both in hiring and promotions.

The local branch of the NAACP has identified the following hotels as being undesirable: ITT Sheraton, Caesars World, Promus, Westin, Best Western, Holiday Inn, Days Inn, Howard Johnson, Embassy Inn, Quality Inn, Comfort Inn, Rodeway Inn, Clarion, Econolodge, Mainstay Suites, Park International, Knights Inn, Omni and Doubletree.

The Las Vegas branch sent out a survey to Nevada resorts last week that is similar to the national one, Rogers said. After all the questionnaires have been returned, Rogers said he would have more to say on possible discrimination practices.

"We are not on the national survey and suddenly we pop up on another (local) one," said Phil Cooper, vice president of public relations and advertising for Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. "We received the survey on Monday, and we plan to answer it to the best of our ability as a good corporate citizen. It is not due until April 25."

Rogers said Caesars World was added because ITT Sheraton bought the corporation. He added that his office has received complaints on every hotel in Las Vegas.

Cooper said Caesars World Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and doesn't discriminate.

"Las Vegas is a mecca of the hotel industry, and we are really concerned," Rogers said. "What I am asking is for the public to be very concerned."

The NAACP will sponsor two meetings on Saturday for black hotel employees to voice their concerns on promotions, harassment and equity. The meetings will be at the Zion Methodist Church, 2108 H St., from 9-11 a.m., and the Second Baptist Church, 500 W. Madison Ave., from 6-8 p.m.