Mount Airy Casino Faces Lawsuit From Male Employee ‘Demeaned for Being White’ & ‘Not Man Enough’

Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, is facing a lawsuit from former employee Adam Stoerrle over claims he faced racial and sexual abuse. Stoerrle claims he was “repeatedly demeaned for being white” and told he was “not man enough.”

According to his LinkedIn profile, Stoerrle worked at the casino for four years between 2021 and 2025. The lawsuit says he was suspended without pay and terminated on November 26, 2024.

It says he was “falsely accused of threatening behavior and inappropriate conduct,” adding that the reasons for his dismissal were “false and pretextual.”

He claims he has suffered “emotional, psychological, and physical distress and humiliation” over his wrongful dismissal, as well as a loss of earnings. His LinkedIn profile shows he now works as a Guest Experience Manager at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem.

‘Talk Like A Man’ and ‘Wear A Dress’

Stoerrle alleges that rather than threatening others, he was subjected to discrimination by at least seven different members of staff. In one incident, he says he was directed to “talk to me like a man” while also being told he “sucked at training” because he was a “young white guy.”

Yet, his manager, Cody Stevens, who was openly gay, also allegedly told him to wear a dress to work and to get in touch with his feminine side as he was working in a department full of women.

He said that Stevens wanted him “to dress up in drag and dance to Aretha Franklin.” Stoerrle also alleges Stevens would make him bend down in front of him, which he did not do with female employees.

Race-Based Discrimination Claims

Stoerrle also says minority employees discriminated against him. The lawsuit states that Maritza Lopez, a Hispanic employee, told him “that he was ‘not a good culture fit’ because he was a white male.”

Another Hispanic employee also told him that he “could not handle Taco Bell because he was a white male.” Lopez then allegedly showed him a picture of “Americanized tacos,” which she said were “white people’s tacos.”

Stoerrle applied for the Guest Services Manager position but was told he had no future in upper management. He says his education was dismissed as a sign of white privilege, and he was “repeatedly demeaned because he is white.”

This included an African-American employee telling him, “You don’t know anything about diversity because you are a straight white man.”

Another African-American employee was promoted to Guest Services Manager ahead of Stoerrle. She allegedly said, “Women should be in powerful positions,” and “I only like working with women.”

Alleged False Accusations Led to Dismissal

Stoerrle says he complained to management about his alleged abuse, but rather than protecting him, management responded by retaliating against him, generating false accusations that led to his dismissal.

He is demanding that the casino pay him for his lost earnings as well as compensate him for the traumatic experiences he has had to endure. The lawsuit files claims on four counts: race discrimination, sex discrimination and sex stereotyping, hostile work environment/sexual harassment, and retaliation.

Last year, a Nevada casino was ordered to pay employees $1.2 million over claims of sexual harassment. In that case, employees alleged that male employees subjected female employees to unwanted sexual advances.

Complaints: Opportunity to Improve Service

Last year, Stoerrle posted on LinkedIn that complaints present hotels with opportunities to improve services. He said it is important to equip staff with the skills to effectively handle difficult situations and foster a culture of empathy.

He concluded the post by writing, “By prioritizing empathy and empowering employees to resolve issues effectively, luxury hotels can transform complaints into opportunities to strengthen guest relationships and enhance their overall experience.”