The DNC has filed suit against a Charlotte-area hotel owner, who calls the convention's business practices "ruthless" and "bullying," WBTV in Charlotte reports:
ANCHOR: Tonight, the convention says one of the hotels that contracted to host hundreds of guests has backed out of its agreement. Kay Johnson here with us for the hiccup for the DNC.
KAY JOHNSON: Basically it’s a complaint that says the Comfort Suites of Concord isn’t holding up its end of the deal. It’s all laid out in these pages. In the complain, it shows the front office manager signed off on an agreement with the DNC to provide 70 rooms the week of the convention. The owner of the hotel is disputing having a contract with the DNC, saying in an email to DNC officials, they’ve already contracted with Homeland Security. In a statement to WBTV, a convention official says, "The lawsuit is a reluctant step they are taking after several months of finding a solution," and say, "Ensuring accommodations for visitors is a key part of the impression the world will make on the Charlotte region." Now Sid Smith with the Charlotte Area Hotel Association notes hotels have come back looking to renegotiate contracts—though this isn’t exactly the case here—and this is not going to hurt the city’s reputation.
SID SMITH: In no way do I think this is going to give any kind of black eye to Charlotte. Our relationship with the DNC is strong and solid. Everybody’s happy and working together. I think this is just a little blip in a big meeting.
JOHNSON: I made several attempts to contact the owner of Comfort Suites. I was told he was out of the country. In this email to DNC officials that was included in the complaint, he says, "Your ruthless and bullying technique of doing business will not be accepted and this email is an official notice of termination of the agreement."
ANCHOR: Delegates will stay in hotels in these five regions during the convention. Hotels will also host daily meetings, meals and receptions. The Hilton and Weston in Uptown is the DNC base of operations.