Hotel apologizes for statements made about Native Americans

The Grand Gateway Hotel issues apology, part of a settlement with U.S. Department of Justice

The Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City. (Seth Tupper/South Dakota Searchlight)

The ownership team of the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City is apologizing for racist comments made against Native Americans.

That apology, submitted to The Dakota Scout, is signed off on by six members of the leadership team with Retsel Corporation, which owns and manages the Grand Gateway.

In 2022, remarks made by Connie Uhre on social media indicated the hotel was considering banning Native American customers — contending that members of the ethnicity were responsible for a majority of crimes committed on hotel grounds.

What followed were weeks of protests, and a series of state and federal lawsuits alleging the hotel discriminated against Native American customers.

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The hotel agreed to disseminate an apology as a part of a consent decree. You can read the apology below:

We extend our sincere apology to all for the statements made by Connie Uhre on March 19-20, 2022, regarding Native Americans. Ms. Uhre's comments were not consistent with the values or policies of our company or of our businesses, the Grand Gateway Hotel and Cheers Sports Lounge. We deeply regret the pain or harm Ms. Uhre's statements have caused within our Native American community. We want to make clear that we welcome all Native Americans to the Grand Gateway Hotel and Cheers Sports Lounge. 

In acknowledging that Ms. Uhre's comments were wrong, we also want to acknowledge the remarkable Native American families who live and work within our community. We treasure our many relationships with Tribal members over the years. And we know, based on those relationships, that the Native American community is made up of hardworking individuals who are dedicated to their families and their culture. We are privileged and fortunate to have many friends, employees, and neighbors who are Tribal members. The values of inclusivity, respect, and unity are shared, and we wish to assure our patrons that our businesses are committed to these values. 

We have a deep history and relationship with the tribes and their members for over 45 years, and we look forward to continuing that relationship far into the future. 

Sincerely,

Chad Uhre, Director and Owner
Josh Uhre, Director and Owner
Judd Uhre, Owner
Leslie Sherry, Director and Owner
Nicholas Uhre, Director, Owner and Manager
Connie Uhre, Former President, former director and former owner 

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