Class action lawsuit argues Motel 6 pools inaccessible to disabled guests

HOUSTON - G6 Hospitality Property LLC is facing a class action lawsuit alleging it is not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The litigation, initiated May 20 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas by plaintiff Dana Bowman, claims G6, doing business as Motel 6, failed "to design, construct and/or own or operate hotel facilities that are fully accessible to, and independently usable by, disabled people."

"The defendant's hotels, which are places of public accommodation, have barriers to use of the pools," the suit says.

"The defendant's pools do not have a fixed pool lift or other acceptable means of entry for disabled persons, notwithstanding that such modifications are readily achievable."

Bowman, a retired Army sergeant first class, asserts that he called the respondent prior to visiting Houston on business to see if its hotels' pools had some means of access for the disabled such as himself only to be told there were none, adding he "independently" verified the absence of a pool lift at the facilities.

"The existence of barriers to use the pool at the defendant's hotels deterred the plaintiff from staying at the defendant's hotels," the suit says.

According to the original petition, the respondent "does not have a plan or policy that is reasonably calculated to make all of its hotels fully accessible to and independently usable by disabled people."

A jury trial is requested.

Attorney Eric G. Calhoun of Travis & Calhoun PC in Dallas is representing the complainant.

Case No. 4:13-CV-1453