The email for this article was deactivated after Marriott cancelled the SFMF convention.

Joe Kaufman, a Shillman Journalism Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and the Chairman of the Joe Kaufman Security Initiative, authored an article titled Coral Springs Marriott Set to Host Florida Gathering of Hamas Sympathizers and published at Islamism.net.  The article reports in part:  

Mark your calendars for January 12-13, because the South Florida Muslim Federation (SFMF), also known as “SoFlo Muslims,” is about to host its annual conference and bazaar extravaganza, titled “Lighting the Path.”  

 This isn’t your typical religious retreat. SFMF is a collection of mosques, charities, and civic action groups representing the faith’s most radical Islamist sects and movements. Its conference promises to feature hateful speeches from some of the region’s most controversial Islamist voices – including from individuals who regularly traffic in bigotry and possess alarming ties to foreign terrorists.  

Since Hamas’s brutal October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians, SFMF leaders and guest speakers have reacted by glorifying the jihadists and rallying for the destruction of Israel. The group’s open endorsement of terrorism comes as hotel chains across the U.S. are closing their doors to extremist organizations, particularly those that sympathize with Hamas or maintain links to the terrorist regime in Gaza.

Even as Marriott-owned hotels in Virginia and Arizona have cancelled Islamist fundraising galas in the aftermath of October 7, the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center has laid out the welcome mat for SFMF, with plans to host the organization for the second year in a row.

Established in 2017, SFMF is an umbrella organization covering many of the state’s most extreme Islamic institutions. Member organizations belong to a diverse range of competing Islamist theologies, from the Muslim Brotherhood and its lesser-known South Asian cousin, Jamaat-e-Islami, to Deobandi revivalists and even Shi’a Twelvers. Despite the theological differences, Federation members overcome these sectarian divisions through shared theocratic and supremacist goals.

Mark Cherry, the general manager at the Marriott in Coral Springs, sat down on December 29 with local activists – including this author – to discuss SFMF’s troubling history. He learned about Federation groups like Masjid Jamaat al-Mumineen in Margate, Florida, which promotes texts labeling Jews and Christians “enemies,” advocating executions for gay people, glorifying female genital mutilation, and sanctioning domestic violence against women. Mr. Cherry also learned about SFMF’s connections to foreign terrorist organizations through members such as the Darul Uloom Institute (DUI), a place of worship for Al Qaeda terrorists implicated in multiple terror plots.

Despite the evidence, the general manager would not commit to canceling SFMF’s conference. “It’s beyond my ability to make a judgement on,” Cherry said, pointing to the Marriott’s contractual obligation to host the event.

However, standard language appearing in Marriott International’s “general terms and conditions for events” appears to provide a legal pathway to withdraw from booking contracts for “justified reasons.” For instance, when the hotel reasonably believes that “the function endangers … the security or the image of the hotel in public,” or “if the booking might prejudice the reputation of the Hotel.”

READ MORE of this extensive article regarding the history of SFMF.

The email for this article was deactivated after Marriott cancelled the SFMF convention.

Florida Family Association has prepared an email for you to send to Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center manager Mark Cherry and Marriott corporate officials regarding its hosting the South Florida Muslim Federation conference.

Unlike most of Florida Family Association action emails this email will open in your own email client.  This form of email is being used to make sure the Marriott manager is receiving emails.  There is concern that after the launch of the first email alert that Marriott might be deferring emails sent through the florida-family.org action email server.  If the emails doe not open properly in your email client please consider using the information below to copy, paste and send this action email in your own email software.

Click here to send your email to express concern to Marriott officials regarding its hosting the South Florida Muslim Federation conference.

Email address:

mark.cherry@marriott.com

Subject line:

I urge you to cancel Hamas supporting SFMF conference.

Email content:

Mr. Cherry,

It is very alarming that your hotel still plans to host the South Florida Muslim Federation SFMF after learning of its support for Hamas and Hamas savagery.  Marriott should not allow groups like SFMF and CAIR to use its facilities to embrace, justify and glorify such brutality and inhumanity.  Please do not give more power to anti-Semitism, hate for Jews and Hamas in America by allowing SFMF to hold its conference at your hotel.  Please cancel the SFMF conference.

Contact information:

Fort Lauderdale Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center
11775 Heron Bay Blvd
Coral Springs, FL 33076
Phone: (954) 753-5598

Mark Cherry
General Manager
mark.cherry@marriott.com

Marriott International Inc
7750 Wisconsin Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
United States
Phone: 1-301-380-3000

Anthony G. Capuano
President and Chief Executive Officer
tony.capuano@marriott.com 

Liam Brown
Group President, USA and Canada
liam.brown@marriott.com

Tricia Primrose
Executive Vice President and Chief Global Communications & Public Affairs Officer
tricia.primrose@marriott.com