Troy A. Miller, president and CEO of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) association, is demanding that the Sonesta Nashville Airport Hotel fulfill its contractual obligation to host the 2024 Israel Summit next week.
Miller, who planned on attending the summit, said it is “disappointing” that the hotel would back out of hosting the event, adding, “It is a sad day for our country when a peaceful, educational, and informative gathering can be sabotaged by activists and abruptly canceled by the host venue on short notice.”
“Whether this action sprung from corporate hostility or intimidation by hecklers, the result is that HaYovel has been denied a public accommodation due to its religious beliefs,” Miller said.
The Israel Summit, expected to be held next week on May 20-22, was originally planned to be hosted at the Sonesta Hotel until hotel leadership contacted one of the summit’s sponsors, HaYovel, on Friday, notifying the group that they were dropping their contract to host the event, citing “threatening” calls and messages.
Local groups including Palestine Hurra Collective Nashville, a pro-Palestine group, and Nour Nashville, a community organizing group that advocates for the “Palestine cause,” were among the organizations that publicly called for its members to call the Sonesta Hotel’s general manager and demand they make the decision to back out of hosting the Israel Summit.
On Monday, First Liberty Institute – which represents HaYovel – sent a letter to Troy Carver, the general manager at the Sonesta Hotel, advising that the hotel’s decision to drop its contract to host the summit is “unlawful religious discrimination in a place of public accommodation.”
“HaYovel respectfully requests you fulfill your contractual obligations as agreed and provide HaYovel express written affirmation that you will do so. Failure to provide the written affirmation and fulfill the Contract may result in legal action against the Sonesta and all other responsible parties,” the letter, obtained by The Tennessee Star, said.
The three-day Israel Summit is a “gathering of pro-Israel advocates affirming Israel’s unconditional sovereignty over their entire land,” which will include speeches from more than 15 guests, a gala dinner, vendors, conference sessions, film screenings, and a musical performance.
Hirram Sasser, the Executive General Counsel for First Liberty Institute who sent the letter to the hotel’s general manager, said the Israel Summit is expected to draw a crowd of 400-500 guests from across the nation and overseas.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Troy Miller” is by Troy Miller and “Sonesta Suites” by Sonesta Suites.
