Gay boycott urged of 2 San Diego hotels

Posted on July 14, 2008
Filed Under Gay News Blog

SAN DIEGO—Same-sex marriage advocates urged travelers Thursday to boycott two hotels owned by a San Diego County businessman who gave $125,000 to a group backing a California ballot initiative to ban gay marriage.

Doug Manchester, who owns the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego and the Grand Del Mar golf resort near La Jolla, donated the money to the National Organization for Marriage in January.

Organizers of the boycott said they were publicizing Manchester’s contribution now because the measure has since qualified for the November election.

San Diego’s gay pride celebration is also scheduled for next week, and visitors planning to attend the event may have booked rooms at Manchester’s hotels, said Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate.

“Here is this guy who is discriminating against a minority he wants to make money off of,” said Karger, whose group plans to call attention to other donors to the gay marriage ban campaign.

Gay boycott urged of 2 San Diego hotels
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