Confusion over Thunderbird ownership

In the wake of the state Department of Health filing an order to revoke the Thunderbird Motel’s Transient Accommodations License because of unsanitary conditions, it is unclear who owns the downtown Aberdeen motel. Records include at least three limited liability companies with a connection to the property or business.

The Thunderbird was found to be in violation of numerous Washington Administration Code Violations after a Health Department inspection in December found the motel to have an infestation of cockroaches, the presence of used hypodermic needles and to be operating under generally unsanitary conditions.

The motel has appealed the state’s order to revoke the license and remains open. There likely will be a court hearing within the next six months to determine whether the motel will be able to stay open, said Attorney Jack Bucknell, who is representing the state Department of Health.

Exactly who owns the motel is not initially clear. The County Assessor’s Office states that the motel property, at 410 W. Wishkah St., is owned by Kyung Won Shin, who is affiliated with S’MBM LLC. However, the court documents in which the state seeks to have the motel’s license revoked refers to the owner as Kenko Management LLC.

State health officials say they aren’t aware of any other management companies owning the property and cited Kenko Management LLC because that was the information they had on file regarding the Thunderbird.

Someone named Jae Ho Ko is listed as the respondent to the application for adjudication in court documents and is cited as a registered agent of K-Hospitality LLC on the Washington Secretary of State’s website. The state Department of Revenue’s website lists K-Hospitality as being associated with the motel.

In court documents, Jae Ho Ko states, “This was the first and only notice of violations and without any opportunity to correct the violations and/or discrepancies. As such, the penalty is too harsh,” referring to the order to revoke the Thunderbird’s license.

The City of Aberdeen’s utility billing department said payments were received from the Thunderbird, but city representatives would not give out any information on who, or what company, was making those payments.

A motel in Evans, Colo., called the Heritage Inn is listed under Kyung Won Shin LLC. A Heritage Inn employee who refused to give her name on the phone said that she owns the Thunderbird with her family, but is having trouble receiving payments from a tenant who she said is renting the motel from them.

Calls to the Thunderbird regarding ownership were not answered, and the office phone’s mailbox was not able to take voice messages. A motel employee would not give his name when questioned and asked reporters to leave the property. As of Tuesday afternoon, tenants were still seen on the property and the motel’s “open” sign was on.