Latest news with #QualityInn
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New casino moves ahead after voters rejected another at Lake Ozark
LAKE OZARK, MO – Last November, voters in Missouri turned down a measure that would have allowed a new Bally's Casino to be built near the banks of the Osage River. However, the Lake of the Ozarks area could still end up with a casino as plans for a different one continue to move forward. A Draft Environmental Assessment has been released for a new casino and high-rise hotel by the Osage Nation. Because it would be constructed on land under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), it would not be subject to approval by state voters. However, it would need to be approved by the BIA and signed off on by the state governor. While the new report isn't in itself a green light for the tribe to begin the project, its release is a substantial step toward starting construction. It's also a confirmation that the proposed casino is still moving forward after months of no new public announcements from the tribe. The proposed Osage casino was in the works before the failed Bally's plan was announced. It would be built on 28 acres of tribal-owned land at the intersection of Bagnell Dam Boulevard and Osage Beach Parkway. The site was most recently home to a Quality Inn hotel, which was demolished, and the land has since been cleared. Due to the land being under the jurisdiction of the tribe, an Osage casino would not be subject to the current state laws, which limit casinos to areas near the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The Draft Environmental Assessment provides detailed information on how the plan would impact the land, traffic, utilities, and emergency response. It also highlighted the potential economic impact. The report listed three alternatives, which were studied. The first includes a full casino and hotel. The second option includes just a casino without an attached hotel, while the third option entails a hotel only without a casino. The casino-hotel proposal was the preferred option, followed by the casino-only plan. The filing sheds light on what the casino-hotel would look like and the economic benefits. According to the report, plans call for a $167-million, 3-star level 15-story hotel tower with 150 rooms, 2 food and beverage areas, a gift shop, meeting/convention space, and a fitness center. The casino area of the facility would include a 40,000 square foot gaming area with 750 gaming devices. As for the economic impact, the report states that in its first three years of operation, the casino-hotel would generate $64.2-million in gaming revenue, $6.5 million in hotel revenue, $7-million in food and beverage revenue, and $2.1-million in other revenue. In the past, the Osage Nation stated its casino, hotel, and convention center would generate between $60 million and $100-million in investment in the region. That income, the tribe says, would result in new jobs, tourism, and economic benefits for the Lake of the Ozarks area. The potential economic benefits of an Osage casino would be different from what was touted with the Amendment 5 Bally's plan. The Amendment 5 ballot language stated that annual gaming tax revenue of $14.3 million would be generated for the state. The ballot measures promised, 'All state revenue derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education.' However, since the Osage is a sovereign nation, there are no stipulations tied to how its casino revenue is spent. In addition, the venue will not have to pay federal taxes or state sales taxes as would be required of a privately operated gaming center. On its website, the Osage Nation says it uses revenues from its other casinos to fund tribal government, programs, and economic development, and provide for the welfare of its members, support charitable organizations. The Draft Environmental Assessment explains that the report is an analysis of the environmental effects and it's not in itself a decision or proceed with an action. There will now be a 30-day appeal period. After that, the BIA can make a decision, and the action may be implemented. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Toronto Sun
05-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
'Despicable and criminal': Hotels join fight against human trafficking in Windsor 'hotspot'
Hotels joining fight against human trafficking, with Windsor, as a border city, identified as a 'hotspot.' 'Not in our hotel.' Dharmesh Patel, regional head of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association, is seen at the Quality Inn on Erie Street South in Leamington on Aug. 1, 2025. Photo by Julie Kotsis / Windsor Star Hotel and motel owners in Windsor-Essex — a key hunting ground for human traffickers —are joining forces to help clamp down on the illicit sex and slave trade. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'Windsor is a hotspot. It always has been,' said Dharmesh Patel, manager of Leamington's Quality Inn and regional chair of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA). 'And post-COVID, it is back in full force. During COVID it was harder. You had to report who's in the room with you, and there was more attention put on it. Now we're back to normal.' Patel's association is stepping up its campaign to get lodging owners on board with Not In Our Hotel. It's a free training initiative designed to equip staff with the knowledge to recognize and respond to signs of human trafficking. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has stated that human trafficking is one of the world's fastest-growing crimes, generating an estimated $150 billion in annual profits. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Public Safety Canada, which likens human trafficking to modern day slavery, said Canada is a source, destination and transit country for victims trafficked in sexual exploitation and forced labour. 'Human Trafficking is an ever-evolving crime that effects not only the victim, but those close to them as well,' a Windsor Police Service spokesperson told the Star in an email. Windsor police are not involved in the hotel campaign. 'Human trafficking is an issue in all jurisdictions and Windsor is no exception. We continually strive to combat human trafficking, by working with victims and community resources.' Between 2013 and 2023, more than 4,500 incidents were reported to police services in Canada, according to Public Safety Canada, a federal government department. About 93 per cent of victims were women and girls. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. More than 90 per cent of victims were trafficked by someone they know. And men made up 82 per cent of the people accused of human trafficking. The ORHMA launched its initiative earlier this year in partnership with provincial hotel associations across Canada. 'By working together, we can leverage our resources and provide necessary training, while sending a powerful message against these despicable and criminal acts occurring in our hotels,' said association president and CEO Tony Elenis. 'The project aims to support all Ontario hotels with the information and tools required to combat the illegal operations of human trafficking.' The training includes online modules for hotel staff with certificates of completion and reference materials including posters and on-the-job guides. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The free training is available to hotel owners, managers, and employees in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. Patel said most large hotel brands have completed the training. The focus is now on smaller independent businesses. 'It's been an issue in our industry for quite some time, particularly motels and any hotels that have exterior corridors,' he told the Star. 'Small hotels where you enter from the parking lot and nobody can see you. Those are primary locations for human trafficking.' There have been several recent high-profile human trafficking cases involving the Windsor region. Ontario's Human Trafficking Intelligence-Led Joint Forces Strategy (IJFS) announced on July 30 that an elaborate sting led to 1,100 men responding to a single online ad offering sex with an underage girl. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The task force identified men from Windsor and Essex County among those who responded to the bait over an 11-day period. On July 16, several police agencies working under the IJFS arrested a 30-year-old Windsor man after receiving a tip in May about a victim being trafficked in London through online advertisements. Last September, Windsor police arrested a 28-year-old Toronto man on 30 criminal charges following a human trafficking probe. Police said the man forced a 26-year-old woman into the sex trade, controlling her money, food, and movements. He also assaulted the woman multiple times, including an incident where he threw an object at her and broke her front tooth, according to investigators. The woman escaped after the suspect allegedly brought her from Toronto to Windsor to sell her sexual services. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In August 2024, two suspects were arrested in Windsor for violating bail conditions. They were among five people accused of enticing 64 Mexican nationals to come to Canada with the promise of a better life, then exploiting them. 'It is still a prevalent issue here,' said Patel. 'We just want to make sure that people aren't ignoring the signs.' He said those signs include people paying with cash or booking through third-party websites. If they're not paying with cash, he said the criminals will often use pre-loaded credit cards. 'The other thing to look for is when the people actually come into the hotel,' said Patel. 'If it's a younger person — usually females — and they have that scared look or something and they're keeping an eye out. Those are really the signs to look for.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Windsor police said people can help protect themselves from predators by setting strict privacy settings on social media accounts and being cautious of strange friend requests. Avoid oversharing personal information and be wary of online advertisements that seem too good to be true. 'If you encounter something suspicious, flag it instead of sharing it, and familiarize yourself with the warning signs of trafficking to be able to recognize and report it.' Patel said the bulk of human traffickers coming to Windsor are from Montreal. 'That's where the main guys come from,' he said. 'They're picking up kids and females, and sometimes even males, from all over. So Toronto is a hotspot and then Windsor being closest to the border.' He said the international border does play a role in making Windsor a centre for human trafficking. 'People try to take them across,' said Patel. 'It depends on what they're being used for. Human trafficking is not just for sexual exploitation. Sometimes they ship these kids to other countries. And what happens from there, we have no idea.' twilhelm@ Columnists Relationships Sunshine Girls Opinion Canada
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
True Crime Tuesday: Unsolved murder of Tiffany Bettis
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In this week's True Crime Tuesday, we are turning back the clock to March 2, 2016. That's when Fairview resident Tiffany Betts, also known as Melinda Smith, was last seen at the Quality Inn in Gresham. Three years later, in 2019, skeleton remains were found at Chinook Landing and were confirmed to belong to Betts. The hosts from the Murder in the Rain podcast take a look back at her mysterious disappearance and death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This Battle Creek hotel just ranked in the top 3% nationwide
The Quality Inn Hotel in Battle Creek has received a prestigious 2025 Platinum Award from Choice Hotels International, according to an announcement. The award is given to the top 3% of hotels within the Quality Inn brand, highlighting exceptional guest satisfaction and superior service. The Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi purchased the hotel in December 2013, and FireKeepers Casino Hotel has been involved in its operations since then. 'For the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi and FireKeepers, excellence in guest service is more than a goal — it's the standard,' said Mike Criswell, vice president of hotel operations for FireKeepers Casino Hotel and Quality Inn. 'We're proud to see the Quality Inn recognized by Choice Hotels — a true reflection of the dedication and commitment of our team members. Their passion for hospitality and consistent delivery of outstanding service set them apart as leaders in the industry.' The Quality Inn is located just off I-94 at exit 104 in Battle Creek at 11081 East Michigan Ave. This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at or share your thoughts at with our News Automation and AI team. More: We want your news: How to submit community announcements This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Quality Inn in Battle Creek earns 2025 Platinum Award for service
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WA gives $2M towards group's effort to buy Tacoma motel for refugee housing
An organization working to assist asylum-seeking refugees will receive $2 million from the Washington State Housing Trust Fund to help purchase a permanent home in Tacoma. However, the organization still is looking to fill a multi-million dollar funding gap over the next couple of years. In September, Thrive International brought nearly 200 refugees to a Quality Inn on Tacoma's South Hosmer Street. On Sept. 24, vans and trucks brought troves of suitcases, strollers and garbage bags full of possessions into the parking lot. The refugee families previously lived in an encampment on a field next to a motel in Kent. Some of them had been living there for months, coming from as far away as Venezuela and Angola to escape economic instability, political unrest, and, for some, violence. Thrive International leased the Quality Inn to serve as temporary shelter for the families while they worked to find permanent housing solutions. Since then, the former Quality Inn has hosted more than 350 refugees and asylum seekers. The organization reported dozens of residents have successfully transitioned into permanent housing in recent months from the Hosmer location. On May 20, Thrive International announced it would receive $2 million from Washington state's budget to help complete a $10.7 million purchase and renovation of the 115-unit hotel, now called Thrive Center Tacoma, to become a permanent transitional housing site. Thrive International executive director Mark Finney told The News Tribune the organization is fund raising to close the roughly $7 million gap needed to purchase the hotel. He said even though they have secured some funding from donors, the organization still has a lot of work to do before they are able to purchase the hotel at the end of their three-year lease. Finney said the hotel will cost roughly $9.8 million to purchase, with an additional $900,000 needed to maintain and renovate the building. During a Jan. 16 House Capitol Budget Committee hearing, Jim CastroLang, director of policy and advocacy for Thrive International, requested $2.1 million from the legislature to purchase and 'stabilize' the Tacoma Thrive Center. 'Our Thrive Center model in hotel-type spaces is the lowest cost, highest impact way to support refugees from surviving to thriving,' he told the committee. At the beginning of 2025, CastroLang said a transitional housing site in Spokane assisted 965 residents into permanent housing since it opened in 2022. Along with providing a safe place for refugee and asylum-seeking families to stay, Thrive International provides wrap-around services. It hosts clinics with lawyers to advise families through the immigration process. Local hospitals provide vaccination clinics. It helps parents build resumes and apply for jobs. Local school districts like Clover Park and Franklin Pierce send buses to transport children staying at the hotel to school. In January, Finney told The News Tribune his organization wants to establish a 'pipeline' for those fleeing their countries for a better life here. Thrive International reported an average stay of six to nine months under the hotel model used in Tacoma and Spokane. Finney told The News Tribune it usually takes a few months before families start to gain momentum. Since the families arrived at Thrive Center Tacoma, the former hotel has hosted more than a dozen weddings, and several babies have been born. 'The people living here are not just passing through — they're becoming part of the fabric of this neighborhood,' said Anna Bondarenko, Director of Thrive Center Tacoma, wrote in a statement. 'We've seen a sense of belonging emerge, not just inside Thrive, but across Hosmer.'
