Prop 8 Boycott On Downtown Hotel Continues

Hyatt Hotel Boycotted Since Owner Doug Manchester Donated $125,000 To Prop 8

POSTED: 7:01 pm PDT July 6, 2010

UPDATED: 9:05 pm PDT July 6, 2010

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SAN DIEGO — San Diego Port Commissioners on Tuesday approved the transfer of the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel downtown from developer Doug Manchester to the Hyatt Hotel Corporation.

The hotel has been the target of protesters and a boycott since Manchester donated $125,000 to Proposition 8, the measure that banned gay marriage in California.

Fred Karger and his group, Californians Against Hate, have been leading the boycott.

“We’ve offered from day one to meet with Doug Manchester to try to negotiate an end to the boycott,” said Karger. “He has always refused to meet with us.”

Karger said the boycott is still in place for now, but he hopes to meet with the Hyatt Corporation and settle things.

“I’m hoping the Hyatt Corporation will take a completely different direction on this and we can sit down and work out an end,” said Karger.

The Hyatt Corporation in Chicago would not comment on the boycott or the transfer of the hotel.

A spokesman for the Manchester Grand Hyatt told 10News, “Hyatt will continue to support and reach out to the LGBT community. Hyatt has been recognized as a gay friendly employer.”

Manchester will remain a minority owner of the hotel. He has apologized for his support of Prop 8 and has offered $25,000 in cash and $100,000 in hotel credit to various lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender groups.