The Las Vegas Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino is under fire today after rapper Meek Mill labelled them ‘racist’ after a run in with hotel staff, which has seen Mill turn to Twitter for advice.
Mill posted on his instagram account a video of two staff members at the Cosmopolitan telling him that he could be arrested for trespassing if he entered the hotel and casino complex. With CNN also reporting that a staff member for the Cosmopolitan clearly being heard stating: “We are private property, at this time, with the information we have, we’re refusing to do business with you, we have the right to do that.”
On the post to his instagram account which features the video in question, Meek Mill also writes: “Cosmopolitan hotel/casino going to extreme racist levels to keep too many black entertainers and black people …. they said they gone lock me up.. I’m like for what I’ve been once to a party with jayz ….. Some of these casinos have a bunch of Tatics to keep the level of blacks down …. but love to take our money!!!! This happens to a lot of black entertainers not just me either!! I felt crazy being put out by these white men for no reason!”
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has issued a statement in response to the incident, stating: “The recent situation regarding Meek Mill related to a matter of security, not race, and any reports citing otherwise are false.”
“We pride ourselves on providing an inclusive environment, with zero tolerance for discrimination. Under different circumstances, Meek Mill would be welcomed to the resort, but not at the compromise of his personal safety and the safety of our guests.”
Several news outlets including TMZ who first broke the story, also report that the Cosmopolitan which features a club, was at capacity on Saturday when the incident occurred.
However, the publicist for Meek Mill, Didier Morais, on behalf of the rapper’s lawyer issued this rebuke concerning the capacity concerns raised by the Cosmopolitan: “The assertion that the Cosmopolitan denied Meek because of capacity concerns at Marquee Dayclub is outright false.”
“In the recorded video, Meek also inquired about getting a meal at one of the hotel’s restaurants, yet their security team continued to deny Meek and said he would be arrested for trespassing regardless of location in the hotel premises. The Cosmopolitan’s conduct continues to be deplorable.”
