UPDATED JUNE 28, 2022

Subj: Urban Ground Resort Amenities, Attractions, Services III

To Whom It May Concern,

My name is Oliver B. Mitchell III, Founder and CEO of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, owned and operated by Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, a full service hospitality development company. As the CEO, I am responsible for running all facets of the business. I’m also a former U.S. Marine who has well over 30 years in corporate retail, government, and entertainment industry experience with a proven track record having held numerous key positions over the 30 years of my career where I have been able to drive sales and performance measures that have exceeded growth during my tenure.

The purpose of my communication is to establish an open dialogue with the intent to address systemic issues related to the conduct of my business in hopes of further clarifying the usage and intent of Urban Ground Resort & Residence both individually, jointly, and combined.

The phrase “free of fear and oppression” is a phrase used by Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, endorsed by Urban Ground Resort, LLC, in describing Urban Ground Resort & Residence as a dual purpose, commercial and residential property, offering a true Vegas style resort atmosphere, providing a full service, fully inclusive, luxury gay resort and private residence offering the amenities, services, and attractions of a premier resort destination.

Urban Ground Resort & Residence is a curated environment with the intent to fill a void within the black male and urban gay male community and is history making within itself while no such other entity exist. Curated is defined as “carefully chosen and thoughtfully organized or presented,” and Urban Ground Resort, LLC, in their own right has thoughtfully and carefully chosen their targeted demographic aimed at the black male and urban gay male demographic as a form of demographic targeting or demographic segmentation as used in marketing according to gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation (gay) as their proposed demographics.

Urban Ground Resort is a luxury gay resort that offers its Guests access to Urban Ground Resort’s amenities, activities, products, goods, and services. Many of the amenities are completely situated on Urban Ground Resort property and are deemed “privately owned public spaces” for the purpose of defining these spaces.

Urban Ground Residence is a privately owned residence “separate from” Urban Ground Resort aimed solely at a gay male urban demographic “first,” with the intent on creating new and unique residential experiences. Urban Ground Residence is a life, style, and destination that awaits with distinct luxury apartment homes, townhomes, and modern homes with all of life’s everyday amenities. While Urban Ground Residence may be modeled after a public town, county, or city, Urban Ground Residence is a privately owned residence that maintains no infrastructure for schools, churches, or political activities and any unauthorized events, speeches, or use of any flag, banner, or sign or other material for any religious, commercial, historical, demonstration, or social movement purposes are expressly forbidden on Urban Ground Residence property. Urban Ground Residence is also designated as a “gun free” zone as we prohibit the carrying of firearms while on resort and/or residential property. Our desire to limit the carrying and transporting of any firearm are in line with our intent on curating an environment free of fear and oppression and is both legal and binding.

A privately owned public space is a term that refers specifically to “private property” usable by the public under zoning or similar regulatory agreements and the phrase in its broadest term can refer to places like shopping malls, resorts, and hotel amenities and attractions that are privately owned and open to the public even if they are not legally required to be open to the public.

As expressly stated, Urban Ground Resort & Residence is a luxury gay resort not intended for children OR families by general purpose regardless of whether they may be homophobic or not. Urban Ground Resort & Residence is intended for adults within the gay demographic and unsuitable for and prohibited to children because of the amenities, activities, products, goods, and services that may display adult and sexually gay orientated and explicit material and content.

As the Founder and CEO of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, having contributed significantly into curating environments that are stylish, upbeat, and modern I continue to face harassment and discrimination based on my sound policies regarding the ownership and operations of Urban Ground Resort, LLC. I disavow any perceived discrimination, reprisal, and retaliation against myself for being African American to include my sexual orientation and perceived positions regarding the operations of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, and further hope my positions will not deter my Guests from experiencing the ultimate resort experience offered by Urban Ground Resort, LLC.

Beginning sometime in 2012 many of the Los Angeles area gay establishments that catered to the black, gay, and urban experience were closed for various reasons and on June 12, 2015, a news reporter for the LA Weekly by the name of Jonathan Tolliver, wrote and published "Do we need black gay bars anymore?" It is the opinion of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, that his story is both false and misleading to say the least.

He begins his story with the infamous Catch One nightclub located in Los Angeles, California, a once popular gay and black establishment. He says in his story "Gay black men in L.A. soon might have to take love into their own hands. That’s because Jewel’s Catch One, aka the Catch, the city’s only black gay bar, is closing at the end of the summer. The bar’s closure comes only a few years after the demise of the Study, another black gay bar doomed by the cruel passage of time. The Catch was clearly in decline for many years. The club’s owner, Jewel Thais-Williams, opens the massive multi-room venue only for special events, most of which are run by promoters who have no affiliation with the black gay community. Without a stand-alone venue aimed at them, and with L.A.’s neighborhoods becoming more diverse..." With LA's neighborhoods becoming more diverse, he says, gives the appearance that gay black bars and clubs are no longer needed and is misleading in several ways.

First, he gives the impression that since the Catch is closing and is considered the first gay black club in America there may be no need for anymore gay black clubs simply because many of Los Angeles neighborhoods are becoming more diverse while many of the gay establishments are owned and operated by non-blacks forcing the gay black male and urban demographic to migrate to other gay owned and operated establishments that may not necessarily cater to gay black men and the urban demographic by normal operating procedures. SEE https://www.laweekly.com/do-we-need-black-gay-bars-anymore/

Urban Ground Resort, LLC, has stepped in with the intent to fill the necessary void within the black male and urban gay male community by offering a premier destination that offers many amenities, activities, products, goods, and services aimed at this particular demographic.

There have been numerous problems that hinder my effort in further developing Urban Ground Resort & Residence based on social, political, religious, gender, and race that are hindering any further development. I ask that others respect the history and purpose behind Urban Ground Resort & Residence before demanding inclusion exclaiming that I and/or Urban Ground Resort & Residence is racists, discriminatory, or prejudice in any like, similar, same, or fashion.

The purpose and intent behind Urban Ground Resort & Residence is based on true and accurate accounts in both state and National politics and current social norms dictated within Los Angeles, California.

The promotion of dignity, equality, self-affirmation, and visibility as opposed to shame and social indignity is the champion that drives the “ultimate dining and social experience” open to all guests, visitors, or strangers of Urban Ground Resort & Residence. We champion an environment where all persons are valued and treated with respect regardless of social categories.

Our target audience remains that of the more urban nature aimed at the black male and urban gay male community as it’s meant to fill a necessary void, and Urban Ground Resort, LLC, will not change the concept, look, design, environment, or feel to fit a target audience other than what we have already proposed, market and cater to.

While Urban Ground Resort & Residence may be a gay resort aimed at gay black men and the gay urban demographic, Urban Ground Resort is a commercial space privately owned by Urban Ground Resort, LLC, that will be made available to the broader GAY community as we are a gay commercially established establishment.

Urban Ground Resort, LLC, does not discriminate, and discrimination will not be tolerated. But all Guests, visitors, and strangers of all Nationalities regardless of race, color, religion, origin, gender, and sexual orientation are reminded to refrain from favoritism, discrimination, hostility, and aggression towards Our targeted and marketed demographic while on venue property against them based on their race, color, religion, origin, gender, and sexual orientation, and such favoritism, discrimination, hostility, and aggression go against Our standing policy and Mission Statement of providing a curated environment that is stylish, upbeat, and modern as we strive to provide an environment free of fear and oppression towards Our chosen and targeted demographic of the black gay male and urban gay male demographic.

In violation of Our policies Urban Ground Resort, LLC, may limit, restrict, deny, and expel any Guests, visitor, or stranger regardless of Nationalities regardless of race, color, religion, origin, gender, and sexual orientation for failure to comply with any of Our rules.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DENY ADMISSION, PREVENT ENTRY OR REQUIRE A PERSON ALREADY ADMITTED TO LEAVE THE URBAN GROUND RESORT OR ANY PARTY THEREOF, WITHOUT REFUND, LIABILITY OR COMPENSATION, FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THESE RULES, FOR UNSAFE, ILLEGAL OR OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR, TO ENSURE SAFETY, SECURITY OR ORDER, OR IF WE CONSIDER THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OTHERWISE SO REQUIRE, IN OUR SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION.

The Urban Ground Resort, the Urban Ground Residence, including the Urban Ground District, the Redlight District, the Blvd and ANY OTHER PROPERTY INCLUDING its designated roadways, walkways, and parking areas, is private property and we reserve the right to deny admission or residency, to prevent or require a person already admitted or residing to leave the Urban Ground Resort & Residence or any party thereof, without refund, liability or compensation, for failure to comply with any of these rules, for unsafe, illegal or offensive behavior, to ensure safety, security or order, or if We consider that the circumstances otherwise so require, in Our sole and absolute discretion in accordance with applicable law.

As the Founder and CEO of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, owned and operated by Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, I am not a politician and am under no legal obligation to perform or conform to the wishes of society when owning and operating any business. The politics surrounding gay people in general are and have affected both my professional career and personal life. Please respect my right to own and operate in accordance with my internal rules and policies in accordance with the law.

Hospitality is defined as "the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers" and the Mission Statement of Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC "is to provide the ultimate resort experience” and through our Mission Statement, Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, has carefully curated environments that are stylish, upbeat, and modern as we strive to provide an environment free of fear and oppression by offering our Guest our version of an ultimate guest and resort experience and at no time will I nor Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, be bullied, harassed, attacked, or discriminated against for Our desire to cater to a demographic that may be unfavorable to any person, class, entity, government, or society.

On a personal note, as the Founder and CEO of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, I am aware that the idea of Urban Ground Resort & Residence being the first in the U.S. to offer a fully inclusive, luxury, true Vegas style gay resort, offering the amenities, services, and attractions of a premier resort destination have sparked the interest, excitement, and demand of those outside Our chosen demographic. As such I ask that all Guests, visitors, and strangers remember the intent, purpose, and historicalness of Urban Ground Resort & Residence before exclaiming that I and/or Urban Ground Resort & Residence is racists, discriminatory, or prejudice in any like, similar, same, or fashion.

This Memorandum contains the final and entire Memorandum and understanding and is complete and exclusive in its statement of its terms. This Memorandum supersedes all prior Memorandums and Agreements and its understandings, whether oral or written, in connection therewith.

For the benefit of the Company and to protect the Company and Myself from having its trade secrets disclosed to our competitors or the general public, it is Our position that no new policy’s, directives, Agreements, and internally related documents will be released to the public that may result in a material adverse effect on My Company as I strive to offer the ultimate gay experience aimed at My chosen demographic first while inviting others to share and commemorate the experience.

Thank you for your continued interest in Urban Ground Resort & Residence, the newest premier urban gay resort and residential destination.

Urban Ground Resort, LLC, is a Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, property. All rights reserved. All images and concepts are the property of Urban Ground Resort, LLC, and Village Resorts Hospitality Group, LLC, and are subject to copyright.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PROHIBIT ANY OTHER ACTIVITY THAT WE DETERMINE MAY BE HARMFUL OR DISRUPTIVE, IN OUR SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION.

THESE RULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.