City of Laguna Beach orders indefinite closure of two hotels due to series of "ongoing civil disputes"

A pair of Laguna Beach hotels have been closed indefinitely after a series of fights and an apparent dispute between opposing security guards broke out early this week. 

City officials ordered that both Hotel Laguna and 14 West close immediately "due to unsafe conditions and to protect the health and safety of the public, people inside the premises and Laguna Beach Police officers," after several different altercations happened on Tuesday which stemmed from an "ongoing civil dispute over operating and management authority at the hotel properties."

Police were first dispatched to 14 West, a boutique hotel on S. Coast Highway, early Tuesday for reports of an armed security guard that was causing some sort of disturbance. Both parties were "separated and stated they would remain civil."

However, just hours later, officers were sent to Hotel Laguna, just a six minute walk from the other hotel, for a 20-person fight between the same parties. Investigators determined that one security guard struck another of the separate team. One person was arrested. 

"Although this is a civil matter, the presence of armed security and these types of altercations require City intervention for the protection of the public and all concerned," said Laguna Beach City Manager Shohreh Dupuis. "We started working with the attorneys on both sides to come up with a resolution in the early afternoon and had urged the attorneys to have their clients voluntarily close the buildings while claims and lawsuits are resolved. Both parties had agreed by 6 p.m. to unarm their security guards at both locations but did not agree to close the buildings."

Despite this, officers were again called to 14 West at around 6 p.m. as both groups had again begun arguing and fighting. "Police discovered armed guards still present at that location and at Hotel Laguna," a statement said. 

Laguna Beach Public Works staff then closed both hotels. 

"It is regrettable it has come to this after the progress we thought had been made," Dupuis said. 

Both buildings are closed to the public, staff and any occupants until the posed threat no longer exists. 

"This is a civil issue that has resulted in both parties hiring armed security and attempting to force the other from the businesses," said Police Chief Jeff Calvert.  "Both sides have been warned but unfortunately, neither side will relent and take the appropriate actions through the civil judicial process. Immediate closure of the businesses will allow a cooling off period for both parties and protect the public from inadvertently being caught up in the middle of a civil issue that has the potential to become more violent."