MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb County is cracking down on illegal activity, including troubled motels and hotels that they say are magnets for crime. The city has just filed three lawsuits against hotels and motels asking judges to declare them a nuisance. The city filed their most recent lawsuit against a hotel today.
We got the reactions of two hotels being sued and why the mayor thinks this is needed.
Sabrina Herring, who manages the Red Carpet Inn on Riverside Drive, says she didn't even know it was happening until she saw it on the news.
"It kind of shocked me, but I think it's more or less a misunderstanding because they're going back all the way to 2016 when it wasn't the Red Carpet,” she explains.
Herring has managed the Red Carpet Inn since 2018. She says the business used to be the Palm Tree Inn, which had a lot of crime.
"There was a lot of dealers, we even had gangs here,” she says. “We've got all of that out now, and we try to keep it out!"
She says since the hotel has been franchised, they've done a lot to improve it like room renovations. Herring says she doesn’t see the illegal activity the lawsuit is claiming.
"As far as I know, there's never been a rape here, never had child molestation here. We've never had the trafficking that they're speaking of. I just don't understand some of those actual accusations,” Herring says.
She says they want their hotel to be a safe, comfortable place for their customers, and they're willing to work with the city.
"We are trying our best,” says Kim Patel.
Patel's family has owned America's Best Value Inn and Suites for 42 years. She says she doesn't see drug activity there, and they try to monitor suspicious people with security cameras.
"We are watching everything from here, also watching everything. If something going bad side-- anything-- then we can take action on the spot,” she explains.
Patel says anyone staying there must have a valid photo I.D., and anyone who causes trouble gets put on their “do not rent” list. She says the sheriff's office is called at least once a day, however, often for domestic disputes.
Macon-Bibb Mayor Lester Miller says that's the problem.
"We've noticed that these particular crime havens have anywhere from 400 to 600 911 calls over the past several years. It pulls an officer to a location on multiple occasions, which prevents him from being out and serving the general public,” he explains.
Mayor Miller says that the lawsuits are a chance to give these businesses to clean up or they'll be shut down. He says they may file lawsuits against four more businesses.
The other hotel being sued is Bridgeview Inn and Suites.