DP, Polo Bay and Phila. Human Relations Commission

A spokesperson for the Human Relations Commission said yesterday that his organization, which exists to combat discrimination, has recieved 11 complaints from members of the Coalition, and that an official investigation has commenced. He would not release the names of the complainants. The Human Relations Commission is an administrative board which has no legal power to punish organizations that are found to be disriminatory. The Commission can make recommendations to the City Solicitors office of punishments, including fines or short prison terms. The spokesperson declined to go into detail about its investigation of Polo Bay and the DP, but said that it is the policy of the Commission to try to settle any problems before they press the court to impose sanctions. Polo Bay Manager Mark Harris said yesterday that although he has not been formally notified of an investigation by the Commission, the advertisement never intended to discriminate against gays and lesbians. Harris said that the allegedly discriminatory clause was included in the advertisement to prevent couples who were not romantically involved from taking advantage of the dinner special, not to exclude gays and lesbians from using it. "[Polo Bay] didn't want to discriminate against gay people," Harris said, adding that the nightclub has gay employees. He also said that he recieved several phone calls from gays and lesbians asking about the advertisement, and that he told them that they could take advantage of the deal. Harris said that the advertisement included the phrase which stated that the deal was only good for heterosexual couples to deter large same sex groups trying to take advantage of the special by pretending to be gay couples. (CUT LINE) Please see COMPLAINT, page 7 COMPLAINT, from page 1

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