ATLANTA - More than 200 college choir members in Atlanta for a weekend conference were out on the streets Thursday after their hotel accommodations fell through. <br>
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The students had planned to stay at the downtown Sheraton, which turned them out because the conference organizer, the National Performing Arts Society, was unable to pay the bill in advance. <br>
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After waiting for hours on a sidewalk across the street or in the buses that brought them, the students finally were able to go to another hotel by about 9 p.m. <br>
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But the choir members were not pleased with their reception. <br>
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``We just couldn't believe that a major hotel would allow this to happen,'' said Jerome Robinson of Chicago State. <br>
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The night manager at the Sheraton said any comment from the hotel would have to come from the general manager, Paul Breslin, who was not available Thursday night. <br>
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Jimmie A. Terrell, executive director of the arts society in Atlanta, said choirs from 10 colleges including Howard University, North Carolina A&T and Florida A&M were attending the meeting, which features a competition. <br>
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Under a contract with the Sheraton, the bill for the rooms and meeting space was supposed to be paid by Feb. 21, Terrell said. <br>
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``We were not able to pay everything up front,'' he said. ``We just were not able to raise the funds to do that.'' <br>
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Terrell said he offered to pay for one night and resolve the remaining financial arrangements on Friday, but the hotel would not agree to that. <br>
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The society had paid a $4,200 deposit for 75 rooms, which apparently will be lost, and the hotel has agreed to void a $16,000 check for the meeting space, Terrell said.
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