WASHINGTON—American Hotel & Lodging Association Interim President and CEO Kevin Carey released the following statement after the New York City Council postponed a planned July 30 hearing on a bill that would harm the city’s nearly 700 hotels and their roughly 265,000 employees.
“Over the last ten days, NYC’s hotel industry and the tourism economy have rallied to speak with one voice and resoundingly make clear that the Hotel Licensing bill introduced in the City Council has the potential to devastate New York City’s hotel industry. We are grateful for the support of our members, hotel industry coalition partners, and our allies in the restaurant and real estate community for helping to avert an economic disaster in New York City that no one wants.”
“We want to acknowledge Councilwoman Julie Menin for listening to the hotel industry’s concerns with this bill, delaying its consideration, and agreeing to work with us on a way forward with the industry now at the table,” said Carey.
On July 18, Councilwoman Julie Menin proposed Int. No. 991, a bill that would impose onerous and unnecessary staffing requirements on hotels in the city and mandate other rules that would disrupt hotel restaurants, threaten the operation of the franchise business model, and require some hotel owners to divest from their properties.
The bill would also require all hotel owners to be treated as joint employers along with hotel operators and set strict requirements for several hotel staffing functions.
On July 28, Councilwoman Menin agreed to delay a planned July 30 hearing on the bill to “allow for more time for feedback prior to taking the next step in the legislative process.” Menin said she wanted to use the time to “work with my partners in government, labor, and industry stakeholders” on the bill.
