Summary
- The lawsuit claims discrimination because Thompson is Native American.
- The incident involves a fire and took place in 2022.
- The suit is asking for $15,000 in damages.
The Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno is in hot water, after it was revealed that the Nevada casino is part of a lawsuit involving racial discrimination. Former tribal chairman of the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe of California, Jimmy-John Thompson, claims the casino acted poorly during a visit in 2022 and were discriminatory due to his Native American heritage.
Details of the Lawsuit
Thompson lives in California and decided to visit the casino last year. He was staying at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. In his room, he started to smell smoke coming from the air vent. He thought it was a fire, so he alerted the front desk.
Staff members came to look at the room and could not figure out the source of the smoke. Thompson was given another room due to the issue. The former chairman was still concerned that a fire might be taking place, so he called the local fire department. After arriving and investigating the property, the fireman told Thompson that the source had been extinguished.
Once the fire department left, two security guards were sent to Thompson’s room. They demanded that he pack up and leave, accusing him of committing arson in the hotel room. The guards said they had evidence against him.
Treated Poorly due to Race
In the filing, Thompson claims he was treated poorly by hotel staff with no rational basis for the treatment. He reported a fire and the resort decided to accuse him of setting one. He was removed from the casino hotel at four in the morning and had to sleep in his car. He was unable to refute the claims at the time.
The lawsuit claims that if Thompson were not Native American, he would not have been treated in the manner that he was. The claims against him were embarrassing and can be harmful to his reputation. Thompson was unable to enjoy his trip, so he is suing the casino for violation of civil rights via discrimination. He is seeking $15,000 in damages.
Since the incident took place, two letters have been sent to the casino seeking acknowledgement of the treatment that Thompson endured. The casino has yet to respond. Thompson also says that he has deep vein thrombosis and takes medication for the condition. He can be affected by convulsions due to the medication when exposed to cold temperatures. When he was displaced by the hotel and slept in his car, he was subject to convulsions from outside temperatures.
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