Details of the complaint
MGM Resorts International are changing the design of their security guard uniforms following complaints that some of the imagery is too similar to Holocaust badges.
The uniform in question is worn at the MGM Northfield Park casino facility on the outskirts of Cleveland, Ohio. It consists of a yellow shirt featuring a badge with a six-pointed star. The badge depicts a security logo.
June Scharf, a woman whose relatives were killed during the Holocaust, noticed the similarity while passing through a security checkpoint into the casino on July 13. She believes this type of imagery could be offensive to the Jewish community, saying:
There’s a million things you could put on a shirt design-wise, but I understand that not everyone is aware of that symbolism and its place in history.”
Admittedly “stunned”, Scharf attempted to ring the MGM facility but could not get through. She then approached the Cleveland Jewish News, a local community newspaper. A reporter from the paper contacted MGM.
MGM responds
A spokesperson for MGM Resorts International thanked the woman publicly for bringing the matter to their attention. The company, which is now changing the design of these uniforms, has apologized to anyone they may have unintentionally offended.
There are other MGM facilities around the United States, such as in Las Vegas, that have been using these uniforms for over a year.
While there is no definite timeline, changes to the uniforms are under way. MGM Resorts said they want to ensure that all patrons feel welcome at their facilities, and that the company is committed to inclusion and diversity. Scharf is pleased that MGM are responding so positively to her complaint.