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SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio – Springfield Township leaders have launched a Springfield Township nuisance hotel lawsuit against the Red Roof Inn on South Arlington Road, arguing that years of police and EMS calls, violent crimes and quality-of-life complaints have turned the property into a public nuisance that drains local safety resources.
Township trustees, working with the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, filed the civil action in Summit County Common Pleas Court this spring, seeking to have the hotel declared a nuisance and to force major changes – and possibly even closure – if conditions do not improve.
Springfield Township Nuisance Hotel Lawsuit Follows Years of Calls
According to township officials and court filings, the Red Roof Inn has generated an extraordinary volume of police runs over the past several years. Township police and EMS have been called to the hotel more than 900 times in roughly three years, and more than 1,300 times from 2020 through 2023.
Those calls include:
- Overdose and serious medical emergencies
- Fights and threats
- Robberies and thefts
- Reports involving drugs, prostitution and other alleged criminal activity
Police leaders say the volume of calls tied to a single property has stretched the department thin and diverted officers away from other parts of the township. They also point out that nearby hotels have generated only a handful of comparable nuisance calls during the same period, underscoring how much of an outlier this location has become.
The lawsuit names the hotel’s ownership group and asks the court to declare the property a public nuisance subject to abatement. Under Ohio law, that can ultimately allow authorities to shutter a business, board or demolish a building and sell off furnishings if a judge agrees that the nuisance persists.
Township, Prosecutors Cite ‘Persistent Criminal Activity’
Township police officials describe the pattern at the hotel as “persistent criminal activity” that has continued despite warnings and attempts to work with management.
In recent years, the department has documented:
- Drug overdoses and drug-related arrests
- Robberies and violent assaults
- Reports of prostitution and suspected human trafficking
- Frequent disorderly conduct and public intoxication calls
Investigators say they have compiled body-worn camera footage, run reports and specific incident histories for the property to support the nuisance complaint. Those materials are expected to be presented during court hearings.
Before turning to the courts, township police previously sent letters to hotel management outlining recommended security changes and guest policies – including stricter ID checks, better surveillance and a zero-tolerance stance on criminal behavior. Officials argue that the problems continued at an unacceptable level, leaving them with little choice but to seek relief through a lawsuit.
Residents Say Hotel Has Become a ‘Constant Source of Trouble’
Neighbors who live and work near the hotel say the property’s troubles have long been visible from their front porches and parking lots.
Residents describe:
- Vehicles coming and going at all hours
- Trash and debris accumulating near the property line and behind nearby businesses
- Occasional police chases and crime scenes spilling into surrounding streets
Some longtime township residents say the Red Roof Inn has clashed with the community’s expectations for a quiet, suburban area and has made them question whether it’s safe for their children to work or shop nearby.
While the civil action is focused on legal definitions of nuisance and public safety, township leaders acknowledge that the case also reflects growing frustration among residents who feel their neighborhood has borne the brunt of the hotel’s problems.
Tentative Agreement Includes Stricter Guest Rules and Security
As the Springfield Township nuisance hotel lawsuit has moved through the courts, township officials and the hotel’s ownership have worked on a potential settlement that would keep the property open but under far tighter rules.
A tentative agreement, which township officials have discussed publicly, would require the hotel to:
- Verify photo identification for guests
- Take payment by credit card rather than cash, with stricter records of who is staying in each room
- Limit stays to guests age 21 and older
- Install and maintain upgraded security cameras and 24-hour video surveillance
- Provide on-site security coverage, particularly on weekends when calls for service tend to spike
Under the proposed framework, the township would closely monitor the property’s call volume and incident reports. If serious crimes and nuisance complaints continue, prosecutors have signaled they would not hesitate to return to court to seek harsher remedies, including the possibility of shutting down the hotel.
What Happens Next
The civil nuisance case remains a key leverage point as Springfield Township tries to curb crime around the South Arlington Road corridor without unfairly burdening other businesses in the area.
Next steps include:
- Formal review and potential approval of any negotiated agreement by the township’s board of trustees
- Ongoing court oversight to ensure that any court-ordered changes are implemented
- Regular monitoring by police and prosecutors of call data, incident reports and compliance with new rules
Township leaders say their goal is not simply to close a business, but to stop a pattern of criminal activity that they argue has become incompatible with neighborhood safety.
For now, the Red Roof Inn remains open, but it is under intense scrutiny from law enforcement, township officials and neighbors who will be watching closely to see whether the lawsuit – and any resulting agreement – delivers the quieter, safer environment they say Springfield Township residents deserve.