Return Volley

An open letter to Marc Grossman, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Communications, Hilton Hotels Corporation

Dear Mr. Grossman:

Thank you for your letter of May 15, 2006 regarding Hilton’s handling of the Fran O’Brien’s lease termination. Rather than firing off an immediate response, I chose to take a few days to do a little research and cool off before answering.

In the spirit of your request that I think about this issue “in an objective manner,” there are a number of troublesome questions that remain unanswered:

1. Have you or anyone else on Hilton’s Board of Directors, or their immediate families, ever served in the U.S. military? (Note: This may not seem relevant to you, but I think you will find that this is very relevant to anyone who has worn a uniform or has had a loved one wear a uniform.)

2. Did Hilton make any attempt to make arrangements/take responsibility for the Friday night dinners prior to termination of FOB’s lease? Prior to the blog and media storm that followed?

3. While you address the fact that the owners of FOB’s had not paid their rent in four months, Hilton has not addressed the issue of outstanding monies the Capital Hilton owed to FOB’s for room service meals provided to its guests, which, as I understand it, is in excess of the rent owed in the amount of nearly $8,500. How does Hilton respond to this?

4. Is it Hilton’s policy to only reimburse room service providers every 120 days at all its properties? Is Hilton in arrears with any other of its lessees of funds it may owe them?

5. Is it Hilton’s policy to raise rents by 100% for month-to-month lessees at all its properties?

6. Is it Hilton’s policy to require lessees to make upgrades to carpeting, upholstry, etc., without a signed lease? Obtain and pay for their own plumbers?

7. In your letter you allege that there were “numerous health and fire safety violations present in the restaurant that were in clear violation of the lease.”

a. Is it possible that you are referring to the injured veterans themselves, due to the fact that in event of a fire during one of the Friday night dinners, getting the wounded veterans out safely would be problematic and the Hilton – due to its lack of ADA compliance – might be liable for any further injuries?

b. In a recent search of public records regarding these allegations, the Non Partisan Pundit was unable to find any evidence of health or safety violations.

c. In a comment to this post, a Fran’s volunteer writes, “Fran O'Brien's wasn't cited with any health code violations. I spoke with the owner two hours ago about this. He has records.”

If the issue is not Hilton’s concern that having large numbers of disabled individuals in its non-ADA compliant property, what are these alleged violations?

8. Why is the former FOB’s space not ADA compliant? Will the space have to be made ADA compliant before a new tenant can take over the space? Whose responsibility is to make these upgrades? Are any other areas of the Capital Hilton ADA compliant?

9. Is it possible that the Capital Hilton’s General Manager, Brian Kelleher, has been less than forthcoming with Hilton Corporate management?

a. Again, see comments to this post: “As a frequent customer and Army veteran volunteer at the Friday Night Dinners for the wounded troops, the Hilton Corporation is believing the BS that lower, local management is telling them. Capital Hilton General Manager Brian Kelleher lied to my face when I question him on a few things.”

b. “I wonder if Mr. Grossman knows about the piles trash the Hilton put behind Fran's service door, among other stunts. Or the water leak from the Hilton restaurant above Fran O'Brien's that made Fran's lose business.” Was this reported to Corporate? Supported by Corporate?

c. From the Indepundit, “Kelleher's responses to our questions were blatant lies. Despite what Kelleher says, Hilton has done nothing to support the dinners... never met a bus, never contributed a cent, never negotiated for changes to bring the restaurant into ADA compliance, never advertised the restaurant or the dinners within their own hotel, never provided logistical support... in a word, they've done absolutely zip. In fact, Kelleher hides out in his office and has had no contact with Fran's owners.”

d. From the Mudville Gazette, another volunteer states, “With the exception of this past Friday the Hilton has never helped out or been involved in any Friday Soldier dinner for the past 2 ½ years we have been doing this. It was comical this past week, they saved a parking spot for our bus, escorted us down to an elevator through a neatly cleaned coat closet and hallway where in the past we could barely get by because of all the mattresses and other hotel storage supplies in the way. The manger was even there holding an umbrella as wounded and family got off the bus. It was absolutely disgusting as I watched him look to see where the CBS and CNN cameras were pointing and run to get in the background to help like it was something he routinely did.”

e. The emails and other correspondence I received from Mr. Kelleher were clearly “canned.” Was any of this correspondence approved by Corporate Communications before he sent it?

Mr. Grossman, I haven’t permanently jumped on the boycott bandwagon… yet. I do believe, sir, that Hilton is in a mess of its own making, and answers to these questions could go a long way towards clarifying how and why Hilton came to the decision to terminate the FOB’s lease. And, yes -- I'm boycotting until these questions are answered.

Your move, sir.

Sincerely,

Leslie Spiller

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Update: The Non Partisan Pundit has received a response to his FOIA request to the DC Fire & Emeregency Management division. It's not looking good for Hilton's claim that there were health and safety violations.
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