Steakhouse To Close, Ending Tradition For Wounded War Vets (Outrage Alert)

A co-owner of Fran O’Brien’s Stadium Steakhouse in downtown Washington DC, Hal Koster, a helicopter door gunner in Vietnam, began the policy of free meals for wounded veterans because he wanted Iraq-War veterans to have an appreciative welcome-home, unlike the hostile reception his fellow Vietnam vets experienced. (See text of Washington Post article from the Magazine Section, New Year’s Day, 2004, as reported on the website of the 174th Assault Helicopter Company, Koster's unit in Vietnam: http://www.174ahc.org/koster-iraq.htm )

The Capital Hilton Hotel, Washington DC, in two weeks is terminating the lease of Fran O’Brien’s Stadium Steak House, a restaurant in the hotel, which offers on Friday nights free steak dinners to amputee/wounded US veterans of the war in Iraq. Apparently Hal's support of our wounded veterans is playing a MAJOR part in Hilton's decision to shut him down. Part of it is that Hilton has refused to put in wheelchair access to the restaurant and their concern over liability if one of the amputees should be injured in the restaurant. Just how callous can this company be?

HILTON CONTACT INFORMATION *Dan Boyle (212) 838-1558 daniel_a_boyle@hilton.com Brian Kellaher, GENERAL MANAGER (202) 393-1000*

Excerpt of letter from Jim McDaniel (jim.mcd@cox.net), Webmaster of www.174ahc.org and helicopter gunship pilot, Vietnam 1967-1971, and friend of Hal Koster: “… For over six months they (Fran O’Brien’s Stadium Steak House) have been asking the Hilton Management for the terms for renewal of their lease. For over 5 months they were told not to worry they would have the renewal lease in a few weeks. About a month ago the Hilton folks stopped responding to their emails and voice messages for a status report and last week Hal and Marty received a one page eviction notice. No explanation was given. We suspect that at least part of the reason is the Friday night dinner Hal and Marty have been hosting for the last two and a half years. It may be that the Hilton folks are concerned about the increased liability of having so many severely injured and disabled soldiers in their basement each Friday (several have taken falls on the steep stairs at the entrance to Fran's (but no law suits or problems have ensued). It may be that there is very limited and problematic wheelchair access to the restaurant (although no ADA complaints have been filed). The truth is that we don't know for sure but what we do know is that this is unfair. Unless we can change the minds of the folks at the Hilton Hotel Fran's will be out of business on May 1st and we will not have any place to hold our Friday night dinner for the injured soldiers and marines of Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospitals.”

Email from General Manager, Capital Hilton Hotel (Dishonesty Alert): ----- Original Message ----- From: Matt Bitzer To: Matt Bitzer Sent: Friday, April 14, 2006 4:44 PM Subject: ** Fran O'Brien's ** Your e-mail has been forwarded to me, Brian Kelleher, General Manager, of The Capital Hilton. Thank you for your _expression of concern regarding the Fran O’Brien’s restaurant. I appreciate your interest and would like to take this opportunity to respond to you personally. For strictly business reasons related solely to the inability to reach a new lease agreement, the Capital Hilton has elected to terminate the lease with the operator of Fran O’Brien’s restaurant at the hotel. This decision was not at all related to the Friday night dinners for disabled veterans but rather a result of lease negotiations that failed. The hotel has offered to host and sponsor the May 5, 2006 dinner and expressed interest in working closely with Walter Reed so that the Friday night tradition can continue. Furthermore, the hotel is in discussions with one of the sponsors of the Friday night dinners to continue their support of the dinners. The Capital Hilton prides itself on its involvement and support of many community organizations and events and has provided complimentary or discounted rooms to families with veterans in the hospital, donated facilities to military organizations and most recently hosted a meeting for 300 people. Sincerely, Brian Kelleher General Manager, Capital Hilton

Reply to Hilton General Manager: From: "Warren Hewetson" To: Matt_Bitzer@hilton.com Subject: Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 22:24:08 -0400 Mr. Bitzer or Mr Kelleher (or whomever "penned" the email response above), Your ... response reads "...wanted to respond to you personally". Do you realize that several people have copied me on your emails? They all are the same! This is a "cookie cutter" and "canned" response. I happen to know Hal Koster of Fran O' Briens personnally as a great friend (in fact is he's one of my Heroes). His version of the "eviction litagation" is quite a bit different than your statements below (ie: "the inability to reach a new lease agreement"). Hundreds of Patriots today now know that you did not offer an agreement as an option. You do not humor us with corporate verbage and untruths. I strongly urge The Hilton to revisit your decision. You stand nothing to gain and everything to lose. Mr. Kelleher, it appears to me that the Hilton just doesn't need amputees and handicapped Veterans on their premise in numbers. Bad for the customers you know. As hordes of others have already proclaimed, should the Capitol Hilton still elect to evict Fran O' Briens, I and every living being I know, will never do business or trade with Hilton or it's eight Brands again. Having said all that I have a question. Do you know there is a great difference between "offering and expressing interest in" than actually doing it? Walk the Walk sirs! Because many of these amputees and handicapped Veterans cannot. We all know that your hosting of 300 was not totally free. Your last sentence in the below email is a bold faced untruth. Not only have you disenchanted us, but now you have insulted us. Angry? Yes we are. "Pride yourself" someplace else. Warren Hewetson Atlanta, GA

Can't they just open at another site?

Already posted

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1614944/posts

This has been posted a couple times already.

Can't they just open at another site?

Maybe, but that's not the point.

A copy of the email I sent via Hilton's webform:

In light of the Washington DC Channel 9 story referenced below, I'm reconsidering planned accommodations during a 2000 mile road trip in the Fall, 2006.
Story reads like Hilton is trying to get the wounded veterans out of sight of their guests.
I will be sharing the story with friends and family.
"A two-year tradition for wounded war vets is about to go by the wayside. A downtown DC steak house that’s catered to injured troops every Friday night is about to close.
Fran O’Brien’s landlord is forcing out the steakhouse of the same name."
http://wusatv9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=48429

We lose more rights and freedoms to the threat of lawsuits than legislation and it is not by accident that the trial lawyers and Democrats are in cahoots. It is all part of the liberal agenda.

For years now, the chain "Golden Corral" has given away dinners for all military personnel.

Around Armed Forces Day in Nov, The GC chain invites all military, active, reserve, NG, and retired to an evening of free dinner.

GC does it without fanfare, as low advertised as they can while still getting the word out to the troops.

I write them a letter every year thanking them for their donations.

Maybe, but that's not the point.

You're going to have to explain to me what the point is.

You're going to have to explain to me what the point is.

Story reads like Hilton is trying to get the wounded veterans out of sight of their guests.

Does that help?

What I would like to see as a response from Hilton is something telling how they support and honor veterans, especially convalescing veterans. Maybe they have an untold story of support to contradict this one.

Possibly they can open elsewhere, but the point is that they have been squeezed out of business, apparently because Hilton wants to cover its tail liability-wise and probably too, as another poster says, appearance-wise (a flood of amputees in the hotel "upsetting the tender sensibilities of the hotel 'guests'."