ELCA Will Not Require Youth to Stay at Adam's Mark Hotel, St. Louis

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) does not intend to assign participants in this summer's Youth Gathering 2000 to the Adam's Mark Hotel in St. Louis, nor will it use any meeting facilities at the hotel, said the Rev. William H. Kees, director of the ELCA Youth Gathering.
The ELCA action is a response to a federal lawsuit filed against the Adam's Mark Hotel chain in December 1999, in which the chain was accused of racial discrimination. The ELCA considers these matters to be serious, Kees said.
The Adam's Mark Hotel in St. Louis is designated as one of the official hotels for housing youth and adults attending the ELCA's Youth Gathering 2000. Two identical events are planned for June 28 to July 2 and July 5 to July 9, Kees said.
As a designated hotel, the Adam's Mark Hotel in St. Louis agreed to make 700 guest rooms and some meeting rooms available to the ELCA during each of the two events for the Youth Gathering, Kees said.
The ELCA Youth Gathering, held every three years, is expected to attract 45,000 youth and adult participants to St. Louis during the two-week period, Kees said.
The lawsuit, filed by the U.S. Justice Department, alleges the Adam's Mark Hotel chain engaged in a pattern and practice of racial discrimination in its hotels, restaurants and related facilities. The lawsuit followed another widely publicized legal case, in which the Adam's Mark Hotel, Daytona Beach, Fla., is accused of engaging in overt and offensive discriminatory actions against minorities attending a college reunion, Kees said. "Other lawsuits containing allegations and findings of racial discrimination by the Adam's Mark and its parent company, HBE Corporation, have recently come to light as well," Kees said. "We understand, in some cases, the Adam's Mark has been found guilty of discrimination. In other cases, the hotel chain strenuously denies it engaged in discriminatory conduct."
"As a result, the ELCA cannot, in good conscience, require those attending Youth Gathering 2000 to stay at the Adam's Mark Hotel in St. Louis," Kees said.
The church informed the hotel management of its plans, Kees said.
"The ELCA would never knowingly agree to house any event in a facility that engages in racial discrimination," Kees said. "The ELCA is dedicated to advocating dignity and justice for all people. It is primary to this church's mission to discover and to address oppression and injustice in order to further the cause of human dignity, freedom and equality."
Youth Gathering 2000's organizers are concerned that those attending the events may object to being housed in a hotel that is alleged to have treated minority college youth and even its own employees in ways that are discriminatory, demeaning and illegal, Kees added.
The ELCA's decision not to assign people to rooms at the Adam's Mark Hotel in St. Louis or use any of the hotel's meeting rooms does not mean the ELCA is judging the outcome of any pending lawsuits, Kees said.
"This simply means we will release the hotel's rooms for the Adam's Mark to use as it sees fit," he said. Kees explained the Youth Gathering does not have to pay for rooms that are not used for the event.
"We recognize the Adam's Mark Hotel chain may successfully defend itself against the pending charges," he said, "but the ELCA is bringing up to 45,000 youth and adults to St. Louis over a two-week period this summer so that they may have an uplifting experience of fellowship and worship, faith and praise to God. Our intention is to avoid any incidents or experiences that might mar the planned celebration."

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html