Staten Island hotel refuses to evict storm refugees for visiting marathoners
Source: Rawstory.com
The owner of the Staten Island, New Yorks Hilton Garden Inn is refusing to evict local refugees from Hurricane Sandy, even though his decision has drawn fire from marathoners who made reservations to stay and run the 43rd annual ING New York City Marathon this weekend.
"How do I tell people who have no place to go, that have no home, no heat, that you have to leave because I have to make room for somebody that wants to run the marathon?" asked hotel owner Richard Nicotra. "I cant do that," he said.
Mary Wittington, the president of the New York Road Runners, the group is sponsoring the marathon, agrees that displaced New Yorkers should take precedence over visiting runners.
"Marathoners will find a way," she said in an interview. "Theyre coming here now in support."
Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/11/02/staten-island-hotel-refuses-to-evict-storm-refugees-for-visiting-marathoners/
speedoo
(11,229 posts)Well done.
msrizzo
(796 posts)shawn703
(2,702 posts)Probably just those marathoners cast from the same Randian mold as Lyin' Ryan.
truthisfreedom
(23,148 posts)liberal N proud
(60,336 posts)Screw the runners.
Jimbo S
(2,958 posts)now they show up in town and they have no place to stay. What to do?
liberal N proud
(60,336 posts)I have done this when traveling somewhere that has experienced extraordinary events prior to my trip.
It is always good to confirm reservations last minute any time.
qanda
(10,422 posts)Ridiculous!
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)bluemarkers
(536 posts)can't have that....
ING major sponsor
why don't they just run a half marathon around Central Park, or wait a few weeks, or a year?
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)bluemarkers
(536 posts)finally, cancelled
Seriously, I think everyone was in shock and not thinking clearly about the marathon.
LiberalElite
(14,691 posts)Bloomberg cancelled it a few hours ago. The outrage was spreading. I'm a New Yorker who doesn't find too much to applaud about the mayor many call "King Mike", but I'd give him a standing ovation for doing this.
qanda
(10,422 posts)Probably should have been called off sooner but better late than never.
NYC Liberal
(20,136 posts)You just know too many hotels WILL kick homeless (at least temporarily) people out. Postpone the marathon so that doesn't need to happen.
tblue37
(65,408 posts)"I cannot start a 26.2 mile run in Staten Islandpeople are missing, stranded, in need of resources. Brooklyn and Queens have equal devastation. Parts of Manhattan are without electricity, water, major hospitals are closed. The Bronx too has its own challenges. Today I will volunteer at a city evacuation shelter. Sunday morning I will catch the marathon bus to Staten Island. Not planning to run. Plan to volunteer instead and gather resources (extra clothes, bottles of water, food from runners at the start). Let's not waste resources and attention on a foot race. Who is with me?"
groundloop
(11,519 posts)I know some runners would be inconvenienced, but residents there are far worse than inconvenienced right now.
dgraz007
(29 posts)THE DAMN RACE SHOULD NOT EVEN BE GOING ON!