Nashville Hotel Agrees to Settle Allegations It Violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by Discriminating Against a Guest with a Service Animal

NASHVILLE – The United States has reached an agreement with Knights Inn Nashville, located at 99 Spring Street, Nashville, Tennessee, to resolve allegations that Knights Inn Nashville violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), announced Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee. Knights Inn Nashville is alleged to have refused to allow a family with a service animal stay in the hotel because it was against hotel policy.

“Service animals are vital to the health and welfare of people in our community who need them,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “This settlement shows that we will vigorously enforce the law to make sure that Tennesseans have equal access to facilities and not be barred because of challenges they may face.”

According to the settlement agreement, the Complainant is an individual with a disability who reserved a room at the Knights Inn Nashville for the night of August 15, 2024, and noted in the reservation that they would be bringing a service animal. When the Complainant’s husband attempted to check in to the hotel, hotel staff argued with him for about 10 minutes, telling him that his family could not stay in the hotel with a service animal because it was against hotel policy. Complainant explained to the hotel staff that it is against federal and state law to deny them a room because of their service animal. Only after this public dispute and having Complainant print her service animal’s registration (which is not required under the ADA), did the hotel staff allow Complainant and her family to stay in the hotel.

The ADA prohibits public accommodations from discriminating against an individual on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, privileges, advantages, or accommodations, and requires public accommodations to take those steps and make reasonable modifications that may be necessary to ensure that no individual with a disability is excluded, denied services, segregated or otherwise treated differently than other individuals because they have a service animal.

As part of the settlement, Knights Inn Nashville has agreed to post a large sign in a conspicuous area of the hotel accessible by the public that reads, “Service Animals Welcome.” The owner of the hotel also will establish and implement a written policy specifically addressing the provision of services to individuals with disabilities who require a service animal for all hotels that he owns, including the Knights Inn Nashville, and to provide ADA training to all hotel staff who will make guest reservations or have contact with guests.

Knights Inn Nashville will pay the Complainant $4,000 as part of the settlement and will pay a civil penalty to the United States in the amount of $2,000 to vindicate the public interest.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Veirs and Ellen Bowden McIntyre in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee investigated the complaint and negotiated the Settlement Agreement.

The civil claims settled by this resolution are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the ADA, which was passed on July 26, 1990. The Act reaffirmed our nation’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to live, work, and fully participate in the community alongside their fellow citizens.

More information about the ADA is available at the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TTY) and via the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov or through contacting the U.S. Attorney’s civil rights hotline at 313-226-9151. ADA complaints may be filed by email to ada.complaint@usdoj.gov.

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