By Lauren Elkies Schram August 22, 2023

Marriott says it confirmed the property — an 18-story hotel with 283 units near John F. Kennedy International Airport — was being used for migrant housing.

Pride Hotel nevertheless kept using Marriott’s signage and proprietary marks, the suit claims.

Pride Hotel sent Marriott a letter proposing an agreement to use the hotels for migrant housing. Marriott provided a list of requirements that needed to be satisfied in order to consider the change in use, but didn’t hear back for two months — while migrants continued to live on site, according to the suit. Pride Hotel meanwhile sent Marriott none of the franchise agreement’s required fees, the suit maintains.

Marriott says it sent Pride notices of default and provided opportunities to resolve the issue in November and December to no avail, before terminating the agreement on March 18.220

Having Marriott signage on a migrant hotel has “caused and will continue to cause significant harm to Marriott,” the suit claims. In addition, Marriott says it would be tough for it to reenter the lucrative Jamaica market serving JFK, as it’s “already saturated with existing hotels.”

Pride Hotel could not immediately be reached for comment.