Crowne Plaza Pays Cedar Rapids

By Justin Foss, Reporter

By Justin Foss

CEDAR RAPIDS - The check is in the bank. That's what the Cedar Rapids city Treasurer's office says about a check from Kronos Hotels.

Last week KCRG TV9 uncovered the city administrator's office sent a letter to Kronos Hotels, who owns the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

In the letter, the city asked Kronos to pay them nearly $68,000 in unpaid parking and utilities fees.

Kronos Hotels told KCRG TV9 that the check was in the mail.

Wednesday, an attorney for Kronos told TV9 they sent the check, but then had it stopped so they could instead hand deliver the check.

Cedar Rapids city manager Jim Prosser told TV9 he is glad the payment came through.

You can read more on this story in Justin Foss's Blog, "This JustIN." There is a link under the related content section of this story.

Email Justin Foss at Justin.Foss@kcrg.com
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Friday, Aug 1 at 8:53 PM Joe M wrote ...

I just had a horrible experience with another Kronos owned property in Luisville Kentucky purchased from Clarion. Same issues. Deplorable conditions, workers leaving due to bounced paychecks and corporate not caring about the paying guest. AS LONG AS THEY PAY! No customer service. No response. Someone should look more carefully at Kronos Hotels, LLC and what is going on at the other propertis they have purchased recently.

Wednesday, Jul 2 at 3:00 PM anonymous wrote ...

This is a sad story.

Saturday, Jan 26 at 12:15 PM Reply to Anonymous 1/24/08 wrote ...

Get your facts straight. Joanne didn't get fired!! According to the regional director of operations, her position was eliminated because Kronos is having financial problems. Big surprise there, they can't pay the city on time who is to say eventually all of their other employees won't be getting paychecks either.

Friday, Jan 25 at 10:49 PM Amazed wrote ...

Not rain, hail, sleet or snow can stop the USPS. Sure would like to know how this hotel company did it.

Friday, Jan 25 at 8:22 PM Anonymous wrote ...

kcrg should contact all the other tv sations that have kronos hotels in there city, and see what they have to say, it would be interesting,i bet vendors would like to know what is going on in the other citys, open up a can off worms, and watch heads turn

Friday, Jan 25 at 11:33 AM Ticked Off wrote ...

If Joanne wasn't in everybody's business the hotel would have been condemned along time ago. Way to go! We will see Charles get his in the end. What comes around goes around! I think that Joanne is better off to be out of that place anyway and will be a great asset to whomever gets her!

Friday, Jan 25 at 9:56 AM Good Going Cedar Rapids!!!!!! wrote ...

In response to the writer that states this should have been a story, clearly shows he is not and employee of Kronos. If it takes a story to get paid then I think every town in every state that Kronos owns a hotel should do it. Don't make promises to employess of all their hotels that they cannot keep. We wish all tv stations like KCRG would stand up and do the same thing. Kronos new what they were getting into when took 16 of Lodgian's worst properties to buy. Enjoy the laugh Lodgian!!!!!

Friday, Jan 25 at 8:02 AM Directed to "who cares" wrote ...

To the person wondering if anyone knows how a business works? I do and I would say deep down you do not. Our number 1 asset isn't our building or lot or other physical things - IT'S OUR EMPLOYEES. Without great employees and without treating them well - you'll LOSE everything else!! Your PEOPLE give the service, cleanliness and ATTITUDE needed to make money - without this, you will go broke. If you are associated with Kronos (and I think you are)you'll not make make it unless attitudes change!!

Thursday, Jan 24 at 9:10 PM SMELLIN COFFEE TIME TO JUMP SHIP wrote ...

well thank you kcrg you got your story, city got their $$$ we here at the clown plaze got papers to sign if we say anything negitive about our treatment here were fired. THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT from cr and emails but thats seems about all the city of c.r. cares about is whats owed them and the hell with the workin people here BUT REMENBER IF WE QUIT HERE WE WONT BE PAYING TO PARK IN YOUR RAMP TO COME HERE AND WORK looks like you lose $50 per each person per month

Thursday, Jan 24 at 8:12 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I agree. Why did it have to take the news media and publicity for Kronos to finaily pay their bill to the city. Seems funny check is in the mail but the day they are in town and news media is there too oh we can hand you the check instead how convenent (must have got it back from the postman forgot the stamp.) Now if all the venders got together and talked to KCRG also maybe they might get paid as well, means they can't get the checks through the mail either.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 7:27 PM black panther wrote ...

There has been a war on working America since Reagan fired PATCO air traffice controllers. We let foreigners now victimize workers with the best of the rapers of working America. Your city government has been standing by and watching. Shame and woe for the working people.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 3:48 PM Annoymous wrote ...

So JoAnn got fired.If she wasn't in people's business she may still have a job.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 3:24 PM Anonymous wrote ...

So much for this hotel & restaurant to make a go of it. After all the publicity, no one will want to go there. How many more establishments are people going to put down? You ought to live in a small town, where you only have 1 or 2 place to eat, let alone a hotel to stay in for the night that's worth anything.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 1:27 PM Why wrote ...

Why was this even news, was this another "wo is me" for the city. The hotel owner said the check was in the mail so why run the story.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 12:58 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Kronos owns the Crown Plaza If the employees are unhappy ... Quit ... If anyone "feels" they are being mistreated ... Quit There are other jobs ... if no one works there they will close.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 12:45 PM who cares wrote ...

From some of the comments being made does any out here have a true knowledge of how running a business even goes? In defense for new business, most new businesses operated at a loss for the first year sometime three. There is a lot of initial cost that have to be paid not including your general operating cost. So for most companies that survive the beginning phases usually turn out to be top notch companies. So not really knowing the reason that Kronos didn’t pay, this is a common thing in corp.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 9:21 AM Don't believe all they say! wrote ...

Sure hope the check clears the bank, there has been alot of bouncing going on with Kronos. Did anyone verify with the vendor that sold them the carpet that it had been paid for and shipped? Their word is worthless. Ask any local vendor.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 8:13 AM Making promises! wrote ...

No firings yesterday! Woo Hoo! Next give the deserving workers raises that are doing two and three oh wait there is even a manager doing the job of four poeple and getting paid less then $30,000. That's a bargin! How can anyone have a conscience and work people to any early grave. These workers have invested time and effort in getting and keeping clients at this hotel so it stays prospurous. Don't hesitate for a second that if these employees don't get a huge pay raise that it will stay this way

Thursday, Jan 24 at 6:48 AM Paid Up???!?!?!?! wrote ...

Have they paid the vendors so the hotels can get food, chlorine, lotion etc??? Try cutting a little off the corporate payroll instead of at the hotel level since they are the ones getting the real work accomplished!

Thursday, Jan 24 at 6:26 AM A Manager Who Resigned wrote ...

All of this is the tip of the Iceberg.. - Have they repaired the kitchen floor at the Top of The Five? - damaged badly... - Finally caught up with paying state sales/occupancy tax? - -0- was paid while I was there. - Have they accepted a SINGLE bid for the renovation? - NOTHING accepted while I was there. - Are they treating employees better? - I had to fire other department heads without cause while I was there. - Paying other bills? - It took me 3 MONTHS to get $ 497 in expenses paid!

Thursday, Jan 24 at 6:21 AM To 1:36am Anononymous wrote ...

I take it from the knowledge of the english language in spelling and punctuation, you work for Kronos home office! With that being said... if a company can't pay something as simple as a water bill, and parking invoices that they made a profit on, that would be mentioned in any newspaper throughout this country. It may be so common in countries where these owners are from that it wouldn't be news. It's not acceptable here, and in 4 months when bills pile up again, it will be news then also.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 5:06 AM Pam wrote ...

Money Money Money, Thats all I have read about lately, Get out of Cedar Rapids, move to a smaller community.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 3:38 AM Wade Hemmelrick wrote ...

Actions speak louder than words. Talk is cheap; and the proof is in the pudding. Will the Crown Plaza Hotel be restored to its former glory days? Seeing is believing.

Thursday, Jan 24 at 1:36 AM Anonymous wrote ...

well I dont think it needed to become a soo called major story about the businesses failure in their bill paying. cedar rapids dont have anything else to talk about, so this was the first thing that came to mind. several months has gone by with no bills being paid. you dont get 68grand overnite. it should have been taken care of a long time ago

Wednesday, Jan 23 at 11:26 PM hawkeye fan wrote ...

Now if Kronos will restore the benefits they took from their employees, and fix the hotel as they promised, this could be a happy ending.

Wednesday, Jan 23 at 9:57 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Amazing that it took a news story for the city to get paid. Kronos is just a bunch of bad apples and should get the heck out of town! We don't need any more scum in this city - leave. Thanks KCRG for exposing them for the horrible business people they really are.

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