SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Trustees in Springfield Township consider a hotel on Arlington Road to be an "unsafe nuisance" and Summit County prosecutors have taken unusual steps to try to shut it down.
However, an agreement worked out in Summit County Common Pleas Court may keep Quality Inn open as long as conditions detailed in an abatement order are met.
According to Springfield Township Police, officers have responded to 583 calls to the Quality Inn from 2020 though September of 2023.
Those calls included a shooting, robberies, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, assaults, drug possession, trafficking and sex offenses, according to a complaint filed by Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh.
There have also been 69 overdoses at the hotel during that time period, according to the court document.
"The police officers, the chief, gathered the information and when we saw it, it was just shocking and unreal," said John Galonski, the chief assistant prosecutor for the civil division.
Dean Young, chairman of the board of trustees for Springfield Township, said he has been left frustrated that the owners of the hotel, Hexagon Properties and Vinesh Patadia, have not met demands for changes despite a meeting that detailed concerns more than a year ago.
"There has been a repetition of criminal incidents," Young said. "That's our primary concern— the safety of the public— not just the residents of Springfield, but families traveling."
Prosecutors filed a complaint seeking to have the hotel declared a "public nuisance" which could lead to the possibility of shutting it down.
"Obviously, if we filed a nuisance complaint, we didn't feel it was a safe place. We'll see what changes he (the owner) makes," Galonski said.
During a court hearing that lasted more than five hours on Tuesday, an agreement with conditions was reached.
Some of those conditions include the hotel installing and maintaining video cameras, keeping 24-hour surveillance and requiring photo ID's from guests.
According to Galonski, the owner mentioned in court that changes were happening.
"It's my understanding he made a statement that he's already contracted with a private security firm to monitor on weekends," Galonski said.
J. Alex Quay, an attorney representing Patadia, said the parties also agreed to a no-party and zero-tolerance policy for its guests along with strict enforcement of its "no-stay" list.
"We believe these improved safety measures and renewed cooperation efforts between the Township and hotel will continue to serve the parties' mutual goals of promoting safety and reducing drug and criminal activity in the Springfield community," Quay said.
Quay released the following statement:
At yesterday’s hearing, the parties were able to reach an amicable agreement aimed to address the Township’s concerns and further reduce the volume of EMS service responses at the hotel. Under this agreement, Mr. Patadia, will continue to operate the hotel, and will continue to work closely with the Township’s police department to report any suspected acts of unlawful guest behavior.
In addition to prior improvements made to the hotel’s camera system, door locks, exterior lighting, and the hiring of licensed private security, the parties agreed to several hotel proposals, including the adoption of a no-party and zero-tolerance policy for its guests, strict enforcement of its “no-stay” list, reporting protocol, and requirement that that all guests provide a credit card deposit and identification for all adult occupants at the time of registration.
We believe these improved safety measures and renewed cooperation efforts between the Township and hotel will continue to serve the parties’ mutual goals of promoting safety and reducing drug and criminal activity in the Springfield community.
The agreement also indicates that effective Feb. 23, two felony incidents involving people at the hotel occurring within a 90-day period could void the deal and open the door for prosecutors to take additional steps to close the hotel.
"If there's a failure to implement the procedures that we've agreed to, then we'll be back in court to seek a termination of the business," Young said.
Galonski acknowledged it's unusual to go after a hotel as a public nuisance but believes something needed to change to reduce the number of times police respond to the Quality Inn.
"Our goal is to make the property a safe place for the people who decide to come and stay there and also safe for the community," Galonski said.
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