Pot Smokers Welcome To Light Up At Grand Rapids Howard Johnson

[bobandtorey]

The Howard Johnson franchise on 28th Street in Grand Rapids has seen occupancy soar since owner Bob Sullivan made a seemingly unfashionable business decision: accommodate smokers.

And not just the tobacco variety. Sullivan caters to marijuana smokers, as well.

Twenty rooms already have been renovated to accommodate smokers. And by the time Sullivan's done, 60-80 of the hotel's 155 rooms will allow smoking — accommodating medical marijuana patients as well as tobacco smokers.

Michigan legalized medical marijuana in 2008, and Grand Rapids decriminalized marijuana last year — making possession of a small amount a civil infraction, similar to a parking ticket.

Occupancy at the Howard Johnson "has seen an increase every weekend," Sullivan said. "Every weekend, every one of those rooms is sold."

Sullivan, who himself does not smoke cigarettes or marijuana even for medicinal use, estimates occupancy is up 50 percent since he started renovating the rooms.

Renovations have included opening each room up with sliding doors and installing a patio with a tall fence around it to provide privacy — "a little smoking area for each room right at the door," Sullivan said. "Otherwise, people have to go outside the lobby doors.

"If you're a marijuana smoker, it's nice to have that privacy, wouldn't you say so?"

Smoke-free law doesn't apply to patios

Under the state's Smoke-Free Air Law, which went into effect in May 2010, tobacco smoking is prohibited inside places where people work, including hotels, bars, and restaurants. But the law doesn't apply to smoking outside — hence the outdoor patios.

The law also doesn't mention cannabis smoke.

"The tobacco-free act does not ban any other substance other than tobacco," said Steve Yencich, president and CEO of the Michigan Lodging & Tourism Association. "It's an interesting quandary. It's an interpretation of the statute that probably raises more questions than answers."

Sullivan doesn't aggressively market his smoking accommodations. Still, The Grand Rapids Pressran an article about the hotel's renovations, and Sullivan has a large sign in front of the Howard Johnson's welcoming smokers.

And although nowhere does he advertise that marijuana smoking is permitted, Sullivan speaks candidly about it, word on the street is out, and a medical marijuana group meets regularly at the hotel, he said.

Howard Johnson's doesn't seem to mind Sullivan's approach to filling rooms.

"As a franchise organization, each hotel within our brand's portfolio is independently owned and operated and required to comply with all local, state and federal laws" was what Rob Myers, public relations manager of Wyndham Hotel Group, had to say. Wyndham is Howard Johnson's parent company.

While no hard numbers exist on the growth of hotels catering to marijuana smokers in particular, Betty Aldworth, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, a trade group, said "marijuana-related tourism is the fastest-growing sector of the marijuana industry."

Said Janet Korn, vice president of marketing for the Experience Grand Rapids tourism bureau: "We market all hotels in Kent County, and we let consumers choose where they stay. Our focus is on promoting the destination, not individual hotel amenities."

Aldworth also pointed out that 30 states still have not legalized medical marijuana. This makes states with both medical marijuana laws and a flourishing health care industry — such as Grand Rapids' — destinations for ill people to legally explore medical marijuana.

At 83, Sullivan has a reputation around Grand Rapids as a man who does as he pleases. He started a rug-cleaning company at age 18. From there, he got into the carpet business and now owns Sullivan's Carpet and Sullivan's Furniture as well as the former Radisson hotel, which he renamed the Riverfront Hotel. He was the owner of the Holiday Inn in downtown Grand Rapids until he sold it recently. He has been in the carpet business 62 years and the hotel business for 30.

Sullivan said he realized how harmless marijuana is by spending time in his hotel bars at night and in his work with athletes as a scout for the Detroit Tigers in the '60s and '70s. "A lot of them used marijuana," he said, "and it didn't affect their playing."

 

[runriot]

Wow! 

Edited September 25, 2013 by runriot

[t-pain]

score one for personal freedoms.

 

i was recently out of the country where they didnt ban smoking, its crazy how tobacco smoke affects me now.

eyes watering, coughing, burns my nose.

[ozzrokk]

They never banned tobacco or marijuana smoking in the hotels here either but all the hotels use it as an excuse to stop tobacco smoking in the hotel rooms. They say the law banned it but the law DID NOT ban it in hotels.

 

Bravo to this hotel owner that knows that he has a say on what goes on in HIS HOTEL.......

[beourbud]

Gives a New Meaning to...Roach Hotel

 

So you have to get a room to smoke.or can the unregistered visitor partake? 

 

Do we get the same hourly rate as the hookers and  crackheads?

 

The prostitutes adorning the hallways and crackheads looting your car in the parking not notwithstanding,  the beautiful view of US131 is literally breathtaking ...that might be the fumes

 

I give it 2-3 months before we get the raid report....sigh

Edited September 27, 2013 by beourbud

[phaquetoo]

Gives a New Meaning to...Roach Hotel

 

So you have to get a room to smoke.or can the unregistered visitor partake? 

 

Do we get the same hourly rate as the hookers and  crackheads?

 

The prostitutes adorning the hallways and crackheads looting your car in the parking not notwithstanding,  the beautiful view of US131 is literally breathtaking ...that might be the fumes

 

I give it 2-3 months before we get the raid report....sigh

Ive been so tired lately, Thank you for the awsome laugh your post gave me!  but now you have to send me some wipes for my screen, it dont like coffee spit all over it, man I hope I didnt ruin this thing, I dont like using my tiny smart phone, its to smart for me,

 

My adress is bawahaha Mi 48739

 

Peace

[bobandtorey]

 

3 weeks ago

Vary dirty , bed bugs

[phaquetoo]

 

3 weeks ago

Vary dirty , bed bugs

lets all run to howard johnsons, do you mean bed bugs or roaches as in dubage roaches? 

 

I would most def go back to the casinos and medicate in my room again, even though I got caught litteraly with a vape whip in my mouth by 4 to 6 po po's, I was asked for my card and I.D and that was it, cya wouldnt want to be ya!  I chilled the rest of my stay, medicated in my room, only thing dif is they took my lady and wouldnt let her come back to our room,  maybe she was withdrawing from mm or to buzzed on jager!  rotglmao!  it realy is funny now, and it was funny as soon as I cleared out of their, I beat the ole lady home too lmao!

 

That should teach her for calling the law on me for not giving her moe money for the indians! (no offense intended to my friends the indians who own the casinos) hey its been like almost 3 yrs since ive had to talk to a po po!  It has to be a world record for me! 

 

Peace

[jointedone]

Hookers at HoJos in Grand Rapids?  Kinda like that classy motel on the corner of Woodward and 8 mile with the giant sign?

[phaquetoo]

Hookers at HoJos in Grand Rapids?  Kinda like that classy motel on the corner of Woodward and 8 mile with the giant sign?

sounds like you talk from experience, lmao! 

 

back in the day you didnt want to go hoe hunting between 8 mile and 7 mile,  there was a good chance they had the wrong thing under their pants, lol, when they say they can only do bj run bawahahahahahaha!

 

Peace

[jointedone]

LMAO,smartguy! My son lives on the last street in Ferndale. Watching the stuff that goes on in that place is like a TV show. A real GROSS one. You can sit on his porch and watch the trannys wave at you. Ah,city life. Must be great.

[greenleaf]

LOL!  How do you renovate a room to accommodate smokers?  Add an ashtray?

[jointedone]

Leave the door open? Then they can wave at you.....and shout in their man voices for you to "come on over,hon!"

[phil57]

They added outdoor patios to the room. You still have to go outside but its off your room. This is a nice place and there are not hookers hanging around. I have never heard of anyone getting bed bugs there. Bob Sullivan is a good guy and has done a lot for GR. I know this was funny but I hate to see someone get trashed that doesn't deserve it. 

[t-pain]

aww, no hookers?