DNCC files complaint against Concord hotel

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - The Democratic National Convention Committee filed a complaint against a Concord hotel alleging it's not honoring a contract to provide rooms during the convention.

The compliant was filed April 20 in Mecklenburg County Superior Court against Kings Grant Systems, LLC (also known as Comfort Suites).

In it, the DNCC claims Comfort Suites signed a contract to provide 70 of its 84 rooms for a rate of $149 per night from August 24 through September 10. Documents accompanying the complaint show the front office manager signed off on the commitment and the general manager gave her permission to do so.

Hotels began signing up to be a part of the convention in early spring of 2011. More than 150 hotels were reserved by the DNCC. Delegates will stay in hotels in one of five zones during the convention close to Uptown, but a convention official says none of the 6,000 delegates were assigned to the Comfort Suites. Instead, they said other official visitors would be staying there.

In a statement to WBTV, a convention official said, "Our experience with the Charlotte hospitality industry has been overwhelmingly positive. We are taking this step reluctantly, after several months of trying to find an amicable solution. The eyes of the world will be on Charlotte in September, and ensuring accommodations for our visitors is a key part of the impression the world will make of the Charlotte region."

The lawsuit says the DNCC hired the company EventSphere to conduct site visits to all DNCC-contracted hotels. During a visit to the Comfort Suites Concord, the suit claims the hotel's owner stated there was no contract with the DNCC. In an email, Von Patel, President of ABC Investments and Management Company writes "We regret we don't have contract with you folks. We are already contracted with US Department of Homeland Security and they have committed and signed off the contract." Patel provides a second email as an "official notice of termination of agreement."

Sid Smith, Executive Director of the Charlotte Area Hotel Association, says this incident is just a blimp on the radar and does not expect it to be a black eye for the convention or Charlotte. Many of the DNC-contracted hotels are members of the CAHA - the Comfort Suite is not.

WBTV tried to reach out to Von Patel for a comment. An associate said he was out of the country.

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