Handicapped – Beware at Foxwoods Casino

“Handicapped – Beware at Foxwoods. Don’t let what should be a day of fun and freedom become one of fear, embarrassment and belittling.”
These were the startling written words of complaint sent by a couple to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Southeastern Connecticut, after their day out at the casino turned into an exercise in humiliation.
Apparently, the ordeal which the handicapped person John Duquette and his wife had to endure at Foxwoods on May 31st took place after John rented one of the casino’s scooters due to mobility problems.
However, later that afternoon the couple said they were approached by a security guard who asked the handicapped man his name and if he had been at the MGM that morning. After John Duquette confirmed he had, the bewildered couple were then escorted back to the MGM hotel where the couple were allegedly subjected to an intimidating ordeal by the security supervisor. As Joyce Duquette, of Bristol explains:
“My husband was asked by her, in an accusing tone of voice, if he remembered hitting a panel on the perimeter of the casino. He said he did remember bumping one with the scooter as he tried to maneuver out of a tight area.”
“This supervisor angrily stated that he had cracked the panel and he would need to pay for a replacement. She told us “Engineering” informed her it would cost $800. In her next breath she asked if he would be paying cash or with a credit card. We were stunned. The supervisors attitude was very angry and unprofessional. She made us feel like we were criminals.”
Feeling intimidated, upset and embarrassed, the couple then felt compelled to hand over a credit card which was immediately charged $800 for the alleged damages. In addition, the couple also found themselves with an extra $43.99 credit card fee plus a further $33.75 charge as the transaction was put through by the casino as a cash advance.
Although Foxwoods apparently operate a policy by which scooter users accept responsibility for any damages they may cause, Joyce Duquette took exception to the manner in which they were treated.
In addition, the couple should also have been given an invoice detailing the damage and allowed to pay without incurring all the extra credit card fees. As of yet there has been no issue of an apology from Foxwoods.