GREENWOOD — After more than an hour of testimony and discussion Monday night, the Greenwood Plan Commission affirmed an order to vacate for the Red Carpet Inn and Fanta Suites in Greenwood.
The vote was unanimous, 9-0.
The city says the building is unsafe and dangerous and is full of health code, structural and fire code violations.
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The Greenwood Building Commissioner issued orders to vacate on September 30 and again on October 11.
WRTV Investigates raised questions regarding the health and safety of the hotel after the operations manager was found dead, and a mother found a man inside her room going through her credit cards.
The hotel’s owner testified Monday night that they are working to bring the hotel back into compliance.
“I’ve invested my whole life into this whole premises,” said Ahmed Mubarak, owner of the Red Carpet Inn and Fanta Suites. “We are asking for is a chance like everybody to prove we are serious, we mean business.”
Mubarak blamed staffing shortages and the death of one of their managers for some of the issues at the hotel.
A hotel employee also testified that they’ve replaced furniture, broken toilets, sprayed for bugs, treated mold, ordered new linens, replaced ceiling tiles, and taken other steps to address concerns.
With the Greenwood Plan Commission affirming the order, the Red Carpet Inn and Fanta Suites now has 10 days to bring the property up to code and into compliance.
The Greenwood Plan Commission also issued a $5,000 civil penalty for failing to comply with the order.
