--- On Fri, 4/3/09, sara
foster <sarafoster@theblakehotel.net>
wrote:
From: sara foster <sarafoster@theblakehotel.net>
Subject: chess
To: lelandfue@yahoo.com
Date: Friday, April 3, 2009, 4:27 PM
Mr. Fuerstman- I do not discuss the
financial details of any of my clients at the Blake hotel. If you are
trying to
get any information I suggest you go to the individual. At this point I
consider your phone calls and accusations as harassment. Any other
contact you
wish to have with me will need to be by email so that I may keep a
record of
it.
Sara Foster
Sales Manager/Events Coordinator
The Blake Hotel
555 South
McDowell Street
Charlotte,NC 28204
O. 704.348.4642
F. 704.348.4646
sarafoster@theblakehotel.net
P Please
consider the environment - do you really need to print this
email
Re: chess
Friday, April 3, 2009
6:23 PM
To:
"sara foster" <sarafoster@theblakehotel.net>
Ms. Foster:
Please include this response for your records. I am the President of
the Charlotte Chess Club.
I communicated with you at the Blake Hotel
solely for the purpose of booking a chess tournament which will take
place on November 20-22, 2009. On the Morning of March 31, 2009 at
exactly 9:15am, I received a return phone call from you. I asked you to
pencil in the dates of our event and inquired whether "Randy Wheeless
had called you about it" and you said "NO." I then proceeded to
indicate that "we wanted the same 'good deal' that Randy got for the Scholastic event which
had just taken place." You
said, "let me get his contract and see!"
I have promoted many chess tournaments for the past 35 years, and have,
in fact, used that very hotel a few years ago when it was the Adam's
Mark. I understand the standard system used whereby "room
nights" are
traded off for the use of the ballrooms and other rooms for a function.
According to his contract, you stated to me that "Mr. Wheeless had
blocked 250 rooms, but only guaranteed 200 of them." (At approximately
$110 per night, that generates a revenue of over $20,000 which should
certainly cover all costs). I asked
whether Mr. Wheeless was required to pay a deposit.You then indicated
that "his personal credit card
was used for a deposit of $3,000 against
the "guaranteed room nights," but that it was never run through, since
he met the criteria." You further stated that "actually he was 10
or
11 rooms short, but the hotel called it even!" I asked about the "team
rooms" which were also used. You stated that "they were all included in
the deal!" I finally said, "so the 189 room nights paid for the entire
weekend of the use of all of the ballrooms and other rooms for the
tournament and Randy Wheeless didn't have to pay a penny?!" to which
you responded, "YES!" I then said that "I wanted my partner, Mr. W.
Thomas Hales of the Asheboro Chess Club to speak
with you and verify
what you told me."
Since it had been told to me by Randy Wheeless, himself, that he paid
$4,100 to the hotel, I must admit I was somewhat surprised by the
information you had shared with me! You told me one thing, and he told
me another. When Mr. Hales did finally speak with you some 4 hours
later, he said you mumbled something about another $3,000 charge for
the use or your grand ballroom? (Certainly less that the $17,000 you
quoted me today??) Apparently, Mr. Wheeless had gotten to you and, for
whatever reason, you had changed your story?
Since then, in my phone conversation with you on 4-3-09 at 4:30pm, you
denied that you gave me any information about his deal and that you
NEVER told me that that Mr. Wheeless did NOT have to pay anything for
the use of the hotel? You also denied that you did NOT run his credit
card through. Subsequently, in an attempt to cover yourself, you have
phonied up some after-the-fact E-mails which are obviously bogus.
Ms. Foster, if what you have stated about not sharing business
information with me is true, then just HOW DID I FIND OUT ALL OF THOSE
PRECISE DETAILS MENTIONED ABOVE?
Some suggest that there is a chance that Mr. Wheeless has done
something improper. His accounting of the event is inaccurate and
suspicious to say the
least. He has made many contradictions and false claims. You may be
making a grave error if you ally yourself with him and "re-write"
contracts or
"fabricate" receipts after the fact on his behalf. Your denial of what
you told me and
subsequent phony E-mails may involve you in a situation which I believe
you will certainly regret. I will refrain from attempting to
characterize you, Ms. Foster, as a result of this unfortunate
incident
and will only hope that you come clean and tell the truth.
Everything which I have stated above is absolutely true.
The Charlotte Chess Club
still wishes to use the Blake Hotel for out
event in November. Please be kind enough to have another representative
call me.
I remain,
Leland Fuerstman
President, Charlotte Chess Club
704-778-3211
cc. Mark Ethridge, Charlotte Parent Magazine
cc. George Laughrun, Esq.
cc. Rolando Granadino, Innkeeper
cc. Tom Hales