Deadline for Hotel Pools to Be ADA-Compliant Extended

Mar 16, 12 | 3:03 am

By Barbara De Lollis

The U.S. Justice Department will grant the hotel industry a small extension for complying with a new rule aimed at bringing existing hotel pools under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

That means the rules for making existing hotel pools accessible will not take effect today, March 15, as originally planned when first announced in 2010.

The department just issued a press release that says:

"Requirements for existing swimming pools will be extended for 60 days. The department will also publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking with a 15-day comment period on a possible six-month extension in order to allow additional time to address misunderstandings regarding compliance with these ADA requirements."

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The rule in question requires hotels to make their existing pools accessible by installing lifts, but hoteliers - and the American Hotel & Lodging Association - had been seeking clarity on some requirements, such as installation procedures and lift type, among other questions.

The confusion among hoteliers remains so great that a major hotel insurer reports that some clients are now talking of closing their pools.

Source: travel.usatoday.com; T continue reading 'Click Here'.