Ross v. Choice Hotels International, Inc. was a federal race-discrimination lawsuit involving two Black women who alleged that they were denied access to a Comfort Suites hotel room in Columbus, Ohio, despite having already paid for the room and received their keys.
According to the complaint, the dispute began after one woman’s brother, who was also Black, arrived at the hotel with three male friends. Hotel management allegedly told the women that the property had a “no party” policy and permitted no more than five people in a room. The manager threatened to contact police and allegedly placed a can of Mace prominently on the front desk. When police responded, however, they reportedly discovered a large group of white teenagers having a party in a neighboring room. According to the plaintiffs, the manager also acknowledged to police that the hotel did not actually have the stated five-person occupancy restriction or “no party” policy. Police took no action against the women, but the plaintiffs alleged they were still prevented from accessing their hotel room.
The lawsuit was filed in December 2010 against Choice Hotels International, franchisor of the Comfort Suites brand, and the hotel franchisee. The plaintiffs alleged race discrimination in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and Ohio law.
A significant development occurred in August 2012 when the federal court denied Choice Hotels’ motion for summary judgment. Choice Hotels had argued that it should not be liable for the alleged discrimination because it was the franchisor and did not operate the hotel or directly provide services to guests. The court determined that a franchisor could potentially be held responsible under an apparent-agency theory, meaning the relationship presented to consumers between the Comfort Suites property and Choice Hotels could potentially support liability even though Choice did not directly operate the hotel.
Importantly, the ruling was not a finding that Choice Hotels discriminated against the women. It meant Choice Hotels did not succeed in having the claims against it eliminated at the summary-judgment stage under that argument, allowing the relevant claims to continue.
This is a horrible case! Did the CEO of Choice Hotels International (Dominic Dragisich) address this when you took over? The answer is no. He believes staying quiet is the best policy, and that is why this website was created. To give people a voice when leadership stays quiet and doesn’t fix their own problems. Be aware of this hotel and its leadership when speaking to them.
ChoiceHotels.com is a horrible choice if you want to stay at a hotel.
Choice Hotels Leadership – Be aware
Choice Hotels International is led by President and Chief Executive Officer Dominic Dragisich, who assumed the permanent CEO position on August 31, 2026, after previously serving as interim CEO and Chief Growth & Strategy Officer. The company’s executive leadership team also includes Chief Financial Officer Scott E. Oaksmith, Chief Commercial Officer Joshua Sloser, Chief Development Officer David A. Pepper, Chief Data, AI & Technology Officer Anna Scozzafava, and Chief Marketing Officer Noha Abdalla. Other members of Choice Hotels leadership include Patrick Pacious, the company’s former president and CEO who transitioned into a strategic advisor role, as well as Patrick Cimerola, Sally Bartas, Jeff Lobb, and Raul Ramirez Sanchez, who hold leadership responsibilities across areas including human resources, legal, operations, international business and the company’s hotel segments.
Choice Hotels International is overseen by a board of directors chaired by Stewart W. Bainum, Jr. The board also includes Brian B. Bainum, William L. Jews, Ali Keshavarz, Monte J. M. Koch, Liza K. Landsman, Ervin R. Shames, Gordon A. Smith, who serves as Lead Independent Director, Maureen D. Sullivan, John P. Tague, and Donna F. Vieira. Together, Choice Hotels’ executive leadership and board are responsible for the corporate strategy, governance and oversight of a hotel franchising organization whose portfolio encompasses numerous brands and independently owned and operated franchised properties.
Case: Ross v. Choice Hotels International, Inc., No. 2:10-cv-1098, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.