Tornado Survivors, Hotel Guests, and Employees Deserve Better

Families who survived a devastating tornado should have found safety, stability, and compassion.

Instead, many have reported experiences that left them feeling abandoned, mistreated, and unheard.

The Baymont Inn located at 8375 Georgia Street in Merrillville, Indiana, has become the subject of numerous complaints from guests, employees, and community members regarding conditions at the property and the treatment of people staying there.

These concerns are too serious to ignore.

Community members have reported:

• Alleged bed bug infestations that left guests with bites and additional trauma.
• Unsafe building conditions, including reports of flooring hazards that could have caused serious injury.
•  Concerns regarding maintenance and the overall condition of the property.
• Reports from employees regarding workplace treatment, payroll concerns, and disciplinary actions.
• Allegations that employees were subjected to damaging accusations that they believe were unfair.
• Reports that guests were removed from rooms they had already paid for.
• Reports that some guests were not refunded for unused nights after being forced to leave.
• Allegations that personal belongings and property went missing following guest removals.
• Concerns that guests who contacted law enforcement seeking assistance or accountability experienced retaliation or additional adverse treatment afterward.

Many of the individuals impacted by these events are Black families who were already facing the unimaginable stress of displacement, housing insecurity, and disaster recovery.

As these complaints continue to surface, community members are increasingly concerned about whether all guests are being treated fairly and equally. These concerns deserve a full and independent investigation.

This Is About More Than One Hotel

No family should lose their home in a natural disaster and then face concerns about safety, fairness, or respect at the place providing temporary shelter.

No guest should fear losing their belongings.

No paying customer should be denied access to accommodations they have already paid for without clear explanation and proper resolution.

No employee should feel powerless when raising concerns about workplace treatment.

When multiple complaints emerge from multiple people, the public deserves answers.

We Demand Immediate Action

We call on Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to:

• Launch an independent investigation into the Baymont Inn at 8375 Georgia Street in Merrillville, Indiana.
• Review all guest complaints involving removals, refunds, missing property, and alleged retaliation.
• Investigate reports involving employee treatment, payroll disputes, and workplace practices.
• Conduct a comprehensive health, safety, and building inspection of the property.
• Examine whether any guests were treated unfairly or discriminatorily.
• Publicly release the findings of the investigation.
• Suspend operations at this location while serious safety and civil rights concerns are reviewed.
• Permanently revoke the franchise agreement and close the property if the allegations are substantiated.

Wyndham Must Answer

Wyndham's name appears on the building.

Wyndham benefits from the trust guests place in its brand.

With that trust comes responsibility.

Our community deserves transparency.

Disaster survivors deserve dignity.

Guests deserve safety.

Employees deserve fairness.

And every person deserves to be treated with respect, regardless of race, income, or circumstance.

We refuse to stay silent.

Sign this petition today and help us demand accountability, justice, and immediate action.