cocky wrote on April 10, 2008 03:55 PM: I dont think you should use this incident to knock all of the Westin Hotels. Remember this is a franchise. I am sure Starwood, the franchisor of Westin Hotels, is having or has had a nice "little conversation" with Columbia Sussex.

Think about those people who are in partnership with Columbia Sussex. I wonder how many of them are kicking themselves right about now.

I have always wondered how Columbia Sussex was able to get loans from the banks. Clearly the banks and/or investors have never done a thorough due diligence on the company.

S wrote on April 09, 2008 11:44 AM: "Approximately 85 people attended the conference, according to Westin management."

The 85 attendees will file fraud claims with their credit card companies and they will get their money back.

How does this hotel expect to stay in business if the credit card companies shut down its merchant accounts due to 85 fraudulent transactions?

Their lack of ethics will lead to their own demise sooner or later.

David Johann wrote on April 05, 2008 08:52 PM: "Englehart said a clause on the sign-in folio empowers the company to recoup the money from the third parties."

Anybody can slip any clause into any contract at any time. That doesn't mean it's legally binding. They can write that you have to give them your vehicle if you leave your room a mess--that doesn't mean it's legally binding.

-the chad wrote on April 05, 2008 08:12 PM: As a former hotel manager, this is the most outrages thing I have ever heard. After being shafted a few times myself with conventions not paying and then the credit card on file for security was, well, declined, we institued new standards. The first was that the sales manager was responsible for collection of payment prior to the start of the event. A % was due 30 days prior and was non-refundable. This usually covered the cost of the food. The final payment was due 72 hours prior to the start of the event, at that time, the attendance numbers were written in stone. If no payment was recieved and no line of credit established with the property accounting department(required 5 letters of reference, a credit check, and method of billing, i.e. purchase order or credit cards) then no event. All of your attendees would arrive to an empty room. Now, for those instances where arrangements had been made and legal contracts signed, but payment stopped coming in, we sent it to a collection agency and added the cost of the collection process to their bill. If that didn't work, dependant on how much they owed and if we had broken even on the event, we would either write it off and not welcome them back or file a suit. Not once did we have to file suit, and only twice did I send it out for collection. Now, with all that said, the sales manager was responsible for collectin of payment, if he/she failed to get payment or arrangements made prior to the event and let it go forward, they lost their commission for the quarter. Sucked for them, but solved our problems. CS sucks.

ws wrote on April 05, 2008 04:12 PM: the hotel should have required the $$ upfront - its hard to collect after-the-fact.

Tom, Burbank wrote on April 05, 2008 03:45 PM: Coloumbia Sucksit is at it again. The Unwelcome Sign has been hung out at the Westin. Their motto must be: "We Hate our Guests." They couldn't have bought worse publicity if they'd tried. Good move, morons.

Retired Judge wrote on April 05, 2008 11:37 AM: Read Attorney's cooments below. They are right on and correct as to case law in Neveda and Common Law with reference to the customs associated with the "innkeeper" laws. Westin will lose not only the case against the guests, but serious good will from future customers. Brother the Las Vegas Convention Agency should jump on this matter ASAP to avoid a publicity nightmare and black eye!

Mr Steep wrote on April 05, 2008 11:06 AM: Hey wow! hold on a sec. Correct me if I'm wrong here. The convention organizers booked a hotel.I assume they agreed to pay. Now apparently they're stiffing the hotel and the hotel is trying to get the money from the attendees. How is the hotel in the wrong here? If they get the payment from the organizers,as they should,case is closed.P.S. I don't work or own a hotel anywhere. In fact I hate the way Las Vegas hotels are treating customers,but that's their priviledge (or incompetence and ignorance from managers)

larry wrote on April 05, 2008 11:06 AM: I think that someone from the US Attorneys office or a Federal Prosecutor should look at this, as they are going across state lines. I wonder how close this would be violation of the RICO statutes, then they can criminally prosecute whoever decided this or was responsible for criminal time. Can you imagine if this was a bank or a credit union and you were an employee of an company, the outrage.

chad wrote on April 05, 2008 09:35 AM: Typical move for Columbia Sussex corp. They have no clue how to run a business and just do mass destruction where ever they open their doors. The restaurant at the Westin leaves a lot to be desired, and the slot machines are probably the tightest in Vegas. But now to go after people 6 months later ?? How desperate for cash are they ?? Someone really should look in to this, as there as to be some fraud or negligence on the Westins part somewhere.................

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