A federal jury in the United States has delivered a landmark verdict, finding the owners of a South Dakota hotel liable for discrimination against Native Americans. The decision, reached on Friday, 20 December 2025, marks the culmination of a years-long legal battle centred on the Grand Gateway Hotel in Rapid City.
The Lawsuit and a Symbolic Victory
The case was a class-action civil rights lawsuit filed in 2022 by the NDN Collective, an Indigenous advocacy group, against Retsel Corporation, the company that owns the hotel. The legal action was prompted by public statements from the company's head, Connie Uhre, who declared in March 2022 that she would ban Native Americans from the property following a fatal shooting at the hotel involving two teenagers police identified as Native American.
In a decisive ruling, the jury determined the hotel owner must pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages to various plaintiffs denied service. In a powerful symbolic gesture, the NDN Collective was awarded $1 in damages. "This was never about money. We sued for one dollar," said Wizipan Garriott, president of NDN Collective. "It was about being on record for the discrimination that happened, and using this as an opportunity to be able to really call out racism."
Incident and Aftermath
The controversy erupted after Uhre posted on social media that she could not "allow a Native American to enter our business including Cheers," the hotel's bar and casino. When members of the NDN Collective subsequently attempted to book rooms, they were turned away. The incident sparked protests in Rapid City and drew condemnation from the mayor and local tribes.
The case faced delays, including when Retsel Corporation filed for bankruptcy in September 2024. Connie Uhre passed away in September 2025. In a related countersuit, the jury ruled that the NDN Collective had acted as a nuisance during its protests, awarding the hotel company $812.
Broader Context and Legal Repercussions
This verdict is not the first legal consequence for the hotel's management. Following a consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department in November 2023, Uhre was compelled to issue a public apology and was banned from managing the establishment for four years.
The case highlights enduring racial tensions in Rapid City, a gateway to Mount Rushmore, where at least 8% of the population identifies as American Indian or Alaska Native. The federal jury's decision stands as a significant marker in the ongoing fight against racial discrimination in public accommodations.
