Society
Cops give green light to Hilton
By Chen Xin (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-29 07:12
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CHONGQING - Police in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Monday gave its nod to reopen the Hilton Hotel following a weeklong suspension for activities involving gang-related businesses.
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The Chongqing Hilton Hotel was ordered to suspend operations on June 20 after some of its employees were found to have connived with gangsters to allow prostitution and drug-related activities at the hotel.
Though the hotel has been permitted to resume all its services, the Diamond Dynasty karaoke club located in the basement of the premises will remain shut.
Police raided the club a day before the hotel was shut down and detained 102 suspects, of whom 22 were arrested.
"So far, we haven't got any new notices from higher authorities about when the hotel will reopen. But our original plan is next Tuesday," Doris Tan, a public relations officer at the hotel told China Daily.
"Hilton Chongqing has fully cooperated with the police to review its security measures. At the same time, we're preparing for the reopening of the hotel," Tan said.
Lu Shu, a legal representative of the hotel, on Sunday published a letter on a local website, cqnews.net, apologizing for his client's mismanagement.
It was the first official response from the hotel's management since the scandal broke out.
"Some staff members were involved in illegal activities and their deeds had tarnished Chongqing's image and the hotel's reputation," the letter said.
"We sincerely apologize and we will cooperate with the government to clean our business."
The letter also promised the hotel would strictly regulate its management and do business strictly according to laws to avoid such cases in the future.
Among the suspects who were detained, Peng Zhimin, a major shareholder of the hotel, was accused of having a close relationship with gangsters and providing facilities for prostitution.
Peng, who is also a real estate developer in Chongqing, is also suspected of bribery and illegal possession of firearms.
According to an earlier report in the Oriental Morning Post, two police officers were accused of protecting gangsters engaged in illegal activities at the Hilton Hotel.
According to the report, one of them had recently been promoted for his contribution to Chongqing's gang-sweeping operation, which netted 159 officials, including former deputy police chief Wen Qiang, who was sentenced to death in April.
China Daily