Nonprofit Not So Suite

Nonprofit group Dismas Charities has given up its luxury suites at the University of Louisville’s football stadium and new KFC Yum! Center after a public outcry.

Dismas Charities, which runs 26 prison halfway houses in 12 states, was initially unapologetic when Louisville’s Courier-Journal discovered Dismas had leased a 20-seat suite at the 22,000-capacity arena. Although the nonprofit got $36.6 million from the federal government and state of Kentucky in 2008, it claimed the suites were paid by the sale of property, not by taxpayers.

Dismas CEO Ray Weis said he wasn’t “going to apologize for it.”

Eleven days later, he did.

“To the community at large, we apologize and ask for understanding. We’re sorry that our … supporters and employees have been affected by this matter,” Weis said in a statement, according to the Courier-Journal.

The university’s athletic director confirmed Dismas has been released from annual payments of $45,000 and $92,000 for the football and arena suites.

The company is also expected to release its $15,480 a year “caboose” at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.