Police: motel once accepted ground beef as payment
Local leaders are putting pressure on a local motel as they work to address quality-of-life concerns in the Westgate neighborhood.
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OMAHA, Nebraska (KMTV) — It’s a local motel that police and city leaders say is a source of problems that have been impacting nearby neighborhoods. The Motel 6 near 84th and Grover streets is an area that neighbors, reporter Molly Hudson has talked to, are increasing concerned with because of crime and safety issues. Hudson learned local leaders are now putting pressure on this motel as they work to address these quality-of-life concerns.
What Omaha Police told neighbors about this motel is so surprising, we’ll say it twice.
“Three years ago, the night clerk was accepting ground beef as payment for a room,” Sokolik.
That’s Captain John Sokolik and here is that soundbite again.
“Three years ago, the night clerk was accepting ground beef as payment for a room,” Sokolik.
He says officers are here so often that the department is now calling the Motel 6 corporate office.
“We have been working with their corporate headquarters because their corporate headquarters you know at last conversation we had. That location does not meet their industry branding standards,” Sokolik said.
Councilman Danny Begley has similar concerns. He says before the city can step in individuals have to file specific complaints of code violations they see.
“I can turn it over to city planners or inspectors to go out and look at the violations,” Begley said.
He says as of Monday, the city had no open code violations at this location.
Neighbors like Aimee Forbes were happy to hear city officials have the motel on their radar.
“I am actually thrilled and honestly if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would go and buy that place and bulldoze it down,” Forbes said.
Reporter Molly Hudson reached out to the corporate office for Motel 6 and was given this statement.
“There is nothing more important to us than the safety of our guests, hotel staff, and the communities in which we operate. We are committed to providing clean, comfortable rooms and great service at an affordable rate, and we work hard to ensure a positive guest experience at our locations. We hold ourselves and our franchisees to the highest standards of safety and are committed to being a partner to local law enforcement and helping address community crime or violence in any way we can.” – A Motel 6 Spokesperson.
This location is a franchise. Reporter Molly Hudson called the motel and was told the manager was not there and was directed to his email but have not heard back.
While any sort of timeline for the motel is unclear. Neighbors did learn Monday there will be action at medium at 84th and Grover westbound. It’s a spot they have been asking for a sign to be placed to stop people from standing on it.
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