Station Casino Files Constitutional Challenge Against National Labor Relations Board

By Jordan Bradley

Las Vegas-based Station Casinos on October 22 filed a constitutional challenge against the National Labor Relations (NLRB) Board in an attempt to halt two complaints of union-busting from the board.

The casino resort company is alleging that the NLRB does not have the authority to prosecute claims against businesses such as Station Casinos. “Station Casinos has taken the extraordinary step of suing the NLRB because the NLRB system has failed it and many other companies and, more importantly, threatens to deprive Station Casinos’ team members of their right to choose whether to be represented by a union or not,” Station Casinos stated.

The casino hotel operator is seeking “a temporary and permanent injunction to halt pending proceedings” related to an April 2021 complaint that the Station Casinos brand’s parent company, Red Rock Resorts, “used the COVID-19 pandemic layoffs to undermine Culinary Local 226 union-affiliated workers and union representation in the company,” the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

In June, the NLRB ordered Red Rock Resorts to bargain with the union, upholding an administrative law judge’s 2022 decision that found the casino operator was in violation of the National Labor Relations Act over several incidents.

“Across the country, corporate tactics aimed at weakening worker rights and protections are being exposed and dismantled, as most courts have seen through these meritless arguments and rightly rejected them,” said Ted Pappageorge, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 226, about the casino operator’s filing. “We expect the same outcome in Station Casino’s baseless lawsuit.”

Station Casinos alleges that NLRB “proceedings are not designed to achieve a just and efficient resolution,” according to the complaint, “but rather, they are designed to create a process so unwieldy and all-encompassing that Plaintiffs’ right to defend themselves is virtually impossible and Plaintiffs are, thus, deprived of their constitutional right to a fair and impartial proceeding.”

The casino hotel operator is also seeking a ruling that would allow the U.S. president to remove board members and administrative law judges from serving on the NLRB without cause.

NYC Council Passes Controversial Hotel Licensing Bill

By Jordan Bradley

The New York City Council on October 23 overwhelmingly passed the Safe Hotels Act, a bill that requires hotels to gain licensure to operate within the city, with 45 of 51 members voting in favor.

In order to obtain and maintain a two-year license, hotels in NYC will need to pay a $350 application fee and have continuous coverage of the front desk, and large hotels will need a security guard on property at all times. The legislation also requires hotels to reinstate daily housekeeping unless a guest opts out of the service. Core employees of a given hotel, such as front desk agents and housekeepers, must be employed directly by the hotel instead of contracted through a staffing agency. Following feedback from hoteliers, the legislation refined the definition of “core employees” to exclude roles in food and beverage, security and engineering. Hotels with fewer than 100 rooms are also exempt from this requirement.

The Safe Hotels Act will also require hotels to equip all core employees with panic buttons and provide training to better identify human trafficking on site.

During comment explaining the contents and purpose of the Safe Hotels Act, Council Member Julie Menin, who sponsored the measure, noted that regulating hotels within the city has been a challenge.

“While the hotel industry is an important economic driver for our great city and the majority of hotels are wonderful places to stay, there is desperate need for regulation,” she said in the October 23 meeting.

Over the last four years, Menin said, hotel-related complaints submitted to the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection have doubled. Meanwhile, the New York Police Department has received more than 14,000 criminal complaints about hotels and motels.

Menin pointed to the Umbrella Hotel in Queens, the site of years of violent crime and a New Year’s Day murder in 2021, which she said the city had little to no authority to regulate. Residents living in apartments above the hotel and in the neighborhood complained to the New York City 311 lines, according to the Queens Daily Eagle, but the city had little recourse.

“Hotels that host criminals can be difficult to shut down, as we saw all too well in Kew Gardens Queens with the Umbrella Hotel, when hundreds of neighbors complained about that hotel. And finally, in 2021 there was a murder,” Menin said. “The city tried to shut the hotel down, but had difficulty doing so, in large part because it was not licensed.”

Council Member Lynn Schulman presides over the 29th District where the Umbrella Hotel is located. When it came time to cast her vote, she explained her reasoning for her support of the legislation.

“That hotel is in my district. And I want to thank Council Member Menin and HTC and everyone involved and the speaker for doing this bill, because now we won’t have to deal with hotels like that ever again. It was something that we worked on for a long time,” said Schulman.

The Safe Hotels Act has been strongly contested by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA). Representatives from both associations gathered at City Hall on October 9 to testify to the council regarding the potential harm and unintended consequences the legislation could have on the city’s hotels, including increases in hotel rates and arbitrary regulations that could force smaller hotels predominantly owned and operated by minority hoteliers to shut down.

“While we acknowledge the passage of the Safe Hotels Act and the attempt to accommodate smaller properties, this revision still falls short of addressing our broader concerns with the legislation,” said Miraj S. Patel, Chairman of AAHOA. “Hoteliers of all sizes deserve the flexibility to manage their operations effectively to ensure efficiency and guest satisfaction. The unintended consequences of this act will disproportionately affect minority-owned businesses, stifling entrepreneurship and innovation in the hospitality sector.”

The Hotel Association of New York (HANYC) was at first opposed to the legislation, but it worked with Menin to make amendments to the original bill. Those changes included exemptions for hotels with fewer than 100 rooms when it comes to the bill’s staffing requirements, clarification that unexpected disruptions in service—such as a leak—will not result in revocation of a license, and a twoyear licensing period instead of the originally proposed one year.

“After hard-fought negotiation and necessary adjustments that exempt small hotels from onerous costs and all hotels from arbitrary licensing rules, the legislation passed today by the City Council will create a fair and practical standard for hotels that will protect both our industry and employees—and also provide the best possible experience for our guests so that New York City remains the world’s top travel destination,” said Vijay Dandapani, President and CEO of HANYC.

The Safe Hotels Act must next be signed into law by NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who is reportedly expected to support the bill, according to the New York Times.

Julie Coker Tapped to Lead NYC Tourism + Conventions

Will Step Down as Head of San Diego Tourism Authority

By Jonathan Trager

Julie Coker, who has helmed the San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) since June 2020, will become President & CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions (NYCTC) on December 9. Coker will remain in that leadership role with SDTA until December 9 before she succeeds former NYCTC CEO Fred Dixon, who departed earlier this year to take the reins of Brand USA.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to take on this new chapter with New York City Tourism + Conventions,” said Coker. “This role represents a remarkable convergence of my professional journey and passion for destination leadership and tourism. My experiences with Hyatt Hotels, the Philadelphia CVB, and the San Diego Tourism Authority have given me a unique bi-coastal perspective and prepared me well for the complexities and opportunities that come with leading tourism for one of the world’s most iconic destinations.”

Julie Coker

Coker told USAE that what makes the New York City opportunity especially compelling is the city’s position as a “global tourism icon, combined with its extraordinary depth of offerings and experiences.”

“The city’s unmatched diversity—reflected in its boroughs, the multitude of languages spoken, and its rich culture—presents great visitor appeal and unique opportunities for tourism development,” she said. “I’m also eager to build on the foundation of success that Fred Dixon and his team have built, both before and in response to the pandemic. Their work has been exceptional, and I’m eager to work with world-class partners in a city that embodies creativity and endless opportunities.”

The 35-year industry veteran said she’s most proud of several achievements during her tenure in San Diego: weathering the pandemic to exceed initial projections and set new benchmarks during the recovery; launching the award-winning Tourism Accelerator program, which has created tangible opportunities for small, local businesses to participate in our tourism economy; and rebuilding and cultivating a talented team at SDTA, including welcoming more than 40 new staff members during the recovery period.

“San Diego will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Coker. “I will forever be grateful for the friendship and support of the SDTA team, the SDTA Board of Directors, our tourism community, and San Diego at large.”

SDTA Chair Shawn Dixon said Coker has been “an outstanding leader and advocate for our organization, city, and tourism industry.”

“Her guidance, grace, and passion helped San Diego’s tourism community come together to regain business faster than many in the market, positioning us for success during the pandemic’s recovery efforts,” said Dixon. “Under her leadership, we laid a strong foundation for growth, rebuilding travel confidence, attracting visitors, and supporting local businesses. Julie has been a true champion of SDTA’s work and a wonderful ambassador of San Diego’s tourism industry. We will miss her energy, humor and dedication, and wish her success at New York City Tourism + Conventions.”

Coker, who has a dog named Piper, holds several executive board positions, including on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, U.S. Travel Association, Visit California, and San Diego-based organizations. She has also received the Pioneer Award from the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals and has been inducted into the Smart Women in Meetings All-Time Hall of Fame.

A Philadelphia Eagles fan, Coker made history as the first African-American female to lead a major conventions and visitors bureau in one of the top 50 U.S. markets when she assumed the role at Philadelphia CVB. Coker also spent more than 20 years with Hyatt Hotels, where she held general manager positions for properties in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Oakbrook, Illinois.

“Julie is a respected industry expert and deeply experienced leader who will steward both NYC Tourism + Conventions and New York City’s $74 billion tourism economy,” said NYCTC Chair Charles Flateman before thanking the organization’s CMO, Nancy Mammana, for serving as Interim CEO as well as members of the search committee. “We are thrilled to have Julie on board.”

Destinations International Unveils Revamped Partnership Model

By Jonathan Trager

Destinations International has introduced a new partnership model that the association says offers more transparency and flexibility in response to industry feedback.

In an October 18 email, DI President & CEO Don Welsh touted the association’s growth over the last several years and invited interested parties to check out new partnership opportunities. These were developed from work with Avenue M, a consulting agency that helped assess the association’s partnership model.

“Through this process, we have identified key areas for improvement, strengthened our understanding of partner needs, and enhanced the transparency and value we provide,” Welsh wrote. “As we look ahead, these updates are designed not only to address current needs but also to futureproof DI, ensuring we remain resilient and innovative in delivering value globally.”

Gretchen Hall, COO of DI, noted that the process of developing a new partnership model started over a year ago.

“We hadn’t really looked holistically at our partnership model for many years,” Hall told USAE. “Just based on anecdotal feedback from our partners, we knew it was time.”

A major change in the partnership model is the creation of a new entry-level tier aimed at small businesses, Hall said. This opportunity offers year-round benefits such as access to the members-only portal and association material such as newsletters and webinars, as well as potentially the ability to contribute content to such offerings.

Previously, the association offered package pricing for a variety of “event activations.” But now the association offers those opportunities a la carte, which “creates a lot of flexibility for partners to choose the ones that best fit their needs and ensures they’re receiving the most value from the partnership,” said Hall.

For example, a partner for the DI Annual Convention might choose to have a networking table with signage and a place to host individual meetings, while another partner might choose to host a “flashes of brilliance” micro-session to present content that they develop.

Hall said the plan has thus far been presented in bits and pieces and the association has received positive responses.

“The initial feedback is very positive thus far because we’ve worked hard to address all of the issues with the previous package,” said Hall. “They were simply around more transparency and flexibility, and we have made improvements on both of those key points. We’re excited to get it launched and off the ground.”

Current partners will have until the end of the year to renew and get first crack at the new opportunities, Hall said. After that, more partners will be added.

For more information, visit destinationsinternational.org/ partnership