West Hollywood, California (Monday, May 18, 2009) - The City of West Hollywood is expected to pass a resolution tonight that demands the Andaz Hotel disaffiliate with a San Diego Hyatt Hotel over a contribution to Yes on 8 made in 2008 - before the Sunset Strip hotel opened. 
Activists presenting demands that Hyatt Corporation sell the Andaz or the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego to the Andaz general manager in West Hollywood. by WeHo News. |
Saying that “the use of economic boycotts is an effective nonviolent tactic in the civil rights movement,” the resolution calls for the WeHo’s newest hotel to sever its business ties with the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego. Despite that implication, the resolution does not call for a boycott of the Andaz Hotel.
One month ago, protesters came from outside the city to demand the same thing, leaving the Andaz management in the position of explaining that, as a subsidiary of the parent company, no direct business association exists, therefore the only options left open to Global Hyatt would be to 1) cease operations in San Diego (one of their most profitable locations), 2) spin the Andaz off as an independently-owned company or 3) close shop.
Mayor Abbe Land’s deputy, Corrie Planck, told WeHo News that the resolution is part of "a continuing dialogue about Global Hyatt disaffiliating itself with the Manchester Grand Hyatt.”
Those discussions, she said, had not gotten to how, precisely, the Hyatt Global Corporation would satisfy WeHo’s demands, saying, “We’re not there, yet.”
See the resolution here...
The Andaz general manager Michel Morauw, said he felt the resolution had purely political motivation. “We at the Andaz feel we should be judged by the acts of the Andaz,” he said, “not [Doug Manchester’s].
Activists demand that Hyatt Corporation sell the Andaz or the San Diego Hyatt to an independent owner to sever the tenuous business ties that exist between them. Photo by WeHo News. |
“There are no ties between Andaz [and Manchester Grand] except our parent company has a management agreement to operate in San Diego,” he said.
He said that the options left to Andaz, given this resolution’s demands, were untenable, if not impossible, leaving him in an uncomfortable position.
He said he knew nothing about the operating contracts binding Hyatt Global and the San Diego hotel, and that compelling the selling or closing of the Andaz brand seemed draconian given Hyatt’s exemplary corporate behavior (Hyatt Global is considered a very gay-friendly business by most major human rights organizations).
“All of those options would not work,” he said. “We cannot here, in West Hollywood, do anything to satisfy the resolution’s requests.”
The genesis of the demands came when the owner of the building that Hyatt Hotels operates in San Diego (Hyatt owns the newly-opened Andaz) gave Yes On 8 forces $125,000 in late Spring last year.
The group admittedly wanted to cast their net of guilt by association – the San Diego Hyatt is suffering from a successful boycott and union actions) over the West Hollywood Andaz, which opened in January, 2009, because of the symbolic importance of WeHo in gay causes.
Rick Jacobs of the Courage Campaign demanding that Hyatt Andaz sever its ties with the San Diego Hyatt. Photo by WeHo News. |
The point of the press conference in April was, according to the group’s press release, to “expand the Hyatt Hypocrisy campaign, which is in full swing in San Diego, to Hyatt's Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood.”
West Hollywood City Councilman John Duran joined Tom Walsh, President, UNITE HERE Local 11 from San Diego, Cleve Jones (long-time gay activist) from San Francisco, Rick Jacobs of the Los Angeles Courage Campaign, , John Cleary, President, Los Angeles Stonewall Democrats and Lisa Powell, Organizing with America (San Diego) in condemning the association between the Hyatt and the Andaz and demanding the business connections between the two be severed and Global Hyatt wade into California politics.
Tom Walsh said at the protest, “We are here to say that Hyatt Global Corporation is anti-gay, anti-worker and anti-equal rights.”
“We are here to expose and condemn Hyatt’s business relationship with Doug Manchester.”
He said the ad hoc group had two demands they would be presenting to the management of the Andaz.
The Andaz Hotel opened in January, 2009. Photo by WeHo News. |
”One: publicly take a stand and come out for marriage equality; two, sever all ties with Doug Manchester.”
Mr. Duran insisted at the time, “The Andaz does have a business relationship with the San Diego Hyatt.” He asked that the California State Bar remove its upcoming convention scheduled at the San Diego Hyatt.
The group’s press release defined the Hyatt as very gay-friendly.
“Hyatt has a history of inclusiveness and has received a long list of accolades from the LGBT community, including the Human Rights Campaign, Planet Out, Advocate Magazine and DiversityInc.com, for its commitment to diversity and as one of the most respected and admired companies among the LGBT community.
Employees at Hyatt properties are offered domestic partner benefits and Hyatt has a strong record of non-discriminatory policies in all Hyatt Hotels.”
The Andaz Hotel opened in January, 2009. Photo by WeHo News. |
The coalition is not calling for a boycott of the Andaz Hotel, but pledges to hold the Andaz and its owner and operator, The Hyatt Corporation, accountable for their relationship to Manchester.
Michel Morauw, the general manager of the Andaz, said of the demands presented to him in the hotel parking lot, “This is a real misunderstanding of the relationships between our hotels. We operate hotels all around the world, and we operate with the same values and respect [for gays and lesbians] all around the world.”
He said plainly, “Doug Manchester is not talking for [Andaz]; we are not talking for Doug Manchester.”
Andaz issued a statement at 2:30 pm listing, in detail, the recognitions Global Hyatt has received for its pro-gay policies. CLICK HERE for a copy.
"Over the last few years Hyatt has made a substantial investment in the Andaz West
Hollywood, the largest hotel property in the City of West Hollywood," said Michel Morauw in the letter.
"Ultimately," he continues, "the
support Andaz West Hollywood receives will benefit directly its staff and the
community of West Hollywood. We thank you for your support and for carefully
considering the above prior to voting this resolution.
The resolution, which appears on the consent calendar because the council feels unanimously in agreement, is non-binding.
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