John Cramm is the director of engineering for the Mining Exchange Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
That’s according to his LinkedIn page.
Cramm’s name hit the news after Mark Curry, an actor/comedian, said he was racially profiled in an incident at the Mining Exchange Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which he captured in a viral video.
Curry posted the video to his Instagram page on December 10, 2022. You can watch it later in this article.
Here’s what you need to know:
Curry Identified the Employee as John Cramm
InstagramMark Curry and the employee identified as John Cramm.
Curry identified the employee in the video as John Cramm, the “establishment’s certified director of engineering and security,” according to CSIndy.
Curry grew upset because he says the staffer asked him whether he was a hotel guest while he sat in the lobby. He claimed that the staffers did not ask white guests the same question and accused them of targeting him because he is Black and not believing he could be a guest.
In the lengthy video, Curry said he was at The Mining Exchange Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The video has more than 74,000 views in one day. The Mining Exchange is part of the Wyndham Hotel chain. Curry is known for his acting on the sitcom “Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper.”
Heavy contacted the hotel in an attempt to speak to Cramm, get the hotel’s side and verify that Cramm was the man in the video. However, no one answered. Heavy also wrote Cramm through his Facebook page seeking comment.
Neil Cramm, general manager of the hotel, sent this statement to CSIndy.com:
We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for all guests and employees. We deeply regret this incident and have reached out to Mr. Curry to offer not only our sincere apologies but a full refund of his stay and an invitation to return, at no cost, anytime in the future. As a respected community partner, we are also using this opportunity to revisit training with our staff, helping to ensure all interactions are reflective of our company values. The Mining Exchange plays a special role in the Colorado Springs community and we will continue working each and every day to ensure that our hotel remains a space that is open and welcoming to all.
Cramm Said He Uses Skills & Knowledge He ‘Acquired Working in the Automotive Industry’
LinkedInJohn Cramm
On LinkedIn, Cramm wrote that he was director of engineering for The Mining Exchange for five months.
He previously was director of engineering for The Antlers for more than five years, and he was director of Engineering and Security there.
Under education, Cramm lists, “Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Bachelor of Applied Science – BASc, Automobile/Automotive Mechanics Technology/Technician.”
Cramm’s LinkedIn page says,
Combining the skills and knowledge that I have acquired working in the automotive industry and now the hospitality industry. I have the ability to learn and master any and all types of computer and mechanical systems. I entered into hospitality with no Building Maintenance (Engineering) experience, within 5 years I have escalated to the rank of Director (Chief) of Engineering. I have been running my department for two years and feel that I have made tremendous improvements to the infrastructure of my building while also coordinating a complete renovation.
On Facebook, Cramm posted photos of his family and trucks. His likes include Fox News and the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”
On December 1, he wrote, “Goal is to be better today than I was yesterday, and better tomorrow than I was today!” His top post is a video of a “rotating gear clock.”
He wrote on Facebook in 2021, “I am looking for two Hotel Maintenance Engineers for two of the properties I oversee in downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado.” He posted recently on the Club Q mass shooting, writing, “Horrible tragedy 😢 my prayers for everyone!”
Curry Says He Was Asked for His Hotel Key Because He Is Black
The caption on Curry’s Instagram post, which he shared on December 10, 2022, reads:
“Black man and a Hotel Lobby it’s impossible that he has a room here. No, I have a suite! He walks up to me with no badge on. I don’t know who this man is. And asked to see my hotel key Wyndham racism.”
He then shared a name and phone number, writing, “head of security and head of maintenance at the same time.”
“So the problem is I’m in the hotel lobby, and this man wants to see, I don’t know,” Curry said.
“I’m just asking if you’re a guest,” said the worker.
“Are you a guest?” asked Curry.
“No, I’m an employee,” the man said.
“You’ve got your backup. Does he speak?” asked Curry, noting that another employee stood nearby.
“He’s asking me for my, I can’t be in this hotel lobby if you’re Black and you’re Colorado Springs… Wow, this is crazy, isn’t it? So check it out,” said Curry.
The staffers stood quietly.
“They got a Black man in Colorado Springs so they send this dude…So a Black man can’t be… yeah I’m trying to pull the race card,” Curry said at another point, scoffing at any claim he was playing the race card.
He accused the second staffer, who appeared Black, of being an “Uncle Tom.”
“I’ve asked you very politely. Are you a guest of the hotel,” the first staffer said.
“That’s what it’s all about….They see a Black man in the lobby. Look at their stance. They’re going to whup my as**,” alleged Curry.
“I’m a Black man. I’m sitting in the lobby. I should buy the hotel. That’s the funny thing. How long are you going to stand there buddy?” asked Curry.
“Until you answer my question,” said the staffer.
“It doesn’t matter how much you’re worth sir,” said the staffer.
“There’s a lot of white people…” Curry said.
“They’re all paying for it,” the staffer said, adding that Curry could stay if he was a “patron of the hotel.”
“Of course, I’m at the hotel, yes,” said Curry.
“I feel threatened,” added Curry. “…Please back up. I feel threatened from your stance, and how you’re looking at me.”
Then he said, “I come here, and this dude walk up to me and say some bull***. Look at this. This is hilarious. With them glasses on, and look at the boots…we’re gonna do this all day long,” said Curry.
He then stood up and said he was going to go to the bathroom, asking if the two men would stop him.
“You better not touch me,” said Curry.
Curry then walked around the lobby.
“I’m at the hotel and these dudes followed me. They followed me. They don’t know who I am.”
“I’m going to call the police on you guys,” said Curry. “…I don’t like to be harassed. I don’t like to be followed.”
He went up to a woman at the counter. “I’m being followed and harassed by these guys here.”
The woman asked, “Are you a guest at the hotel?”
“Did you check me in?” responded Curry.
Curry said he wanted to see ID. “I would like to call the police on this guy.”
The woman at the counter said the man was an engineer.
The woman at the counter said Curry was being asked his name and whether he was a hotel guest for “safety.”
“I’m just asking you if you’re a guest, yes or no?” the woman at the counter said.
Curry said they should ask everyone else in the lobby if they were guests.
Curry Went to the Mining Exchange Hotel With a Comedy Club CEO
According to TMZ, Curry was in town because he was performing at a local comedy club.
Curry was in fact staying at the hotel, TMZ reported.
A class clown since his earliest years, Mark quickly learned that a wild sense of humor could take him places. While working at a drugstore after quitting college he honed and polished a comedy act that he regularly practiced on customers. It was these customers, as well as his family and friends, who finally encouraged Mark to try his stand-up routine at area comedy clubs. With legendary comedian Richard Pryor as his inspiration, Mark made his debut in Oakland and eventually became the city’s most sought-after stand-up comic. His success there paved the way for comedy-club bookings all over the world.
According to CSIndy.com, when Curry checked into the hotel, he was “accompanied by 3E’s Comedy Club CEO Eric Phillips.”
Phillips told the site that he sends all his performers there. “I’ve never had a bit of trouble,” Phillips said to CSIndy. “Black, Brown, Indian, Asian — no trouble at all.”
The hotel website says,
With towering granite walls crowned by elaborate embellishment, our boutique hotel is a superb fusion of historic architecture and contemporary accommodations. Built in 1902 as a stock exchange for local mining companies, The Mining Exchange, A Wyndham Grand Hotel & Spa offers a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs. You’ll love our elegant, yet casual public spaces and the beautiful lobby featuring an Italian marble fireplace and antique piano. We also offer unique event spaces for everything from meetings and conferences to weddings and special celebrations.
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