A Washington woman with quadriplegia has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Tacoma, claiming the Tacoma Dome's refusal to let her personal care assistant enter for free amounts to an illegal disability surcharge. Jill McAuley says the venue's rigid ticketing policy has discouraged her from buying tickets to a November show and another early next year.
McAuley filed her complaint Monday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Tacoma, case number 3:26-cv-06211, naming the city as defendant under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination, according to court filings reviewed by PacerMonitor. As reported by KING 5, the dispute traces back to August, when McAuley contacted Tacoma Dome Guest Experience Manager Tiffany Hernandez about a November 5 concert and asked for complimentary entry for her personal care assistant, who she requires for basic mobility and communication needs.
Hernandez told her that venue policy requires every person entering the arena to hold a valid ticket, with no exceptions, the station's report states. That November 5 show happens to be the opening night of Pentatonix's 28-arena-show “Christmas in the City” tour, which Hoodline previously reported kicks off at the Tacoma Dome.
A Demand Letter, Then a Lawsuit
Before heading to court, McAuley tried to resolve the matter directly with the city. She sent a formal demand letter to Tacoma on September 14, and Tacoma Venues & Events Director Adam Cook responded on September 22, rejecting her claim that charging full admission for a personal care assistant violates disability law.
The complaint also says McAuley was deterred from buying tickets to a February 26, 2027 Elevation Worship performance at the Tacoma Dome because of the same policy. Her lawsuit asks the federal court to permanently bar Tacoma from requiring separate admission fees for necessary caregivers, according to the station's reporting.
What Federal Law Says About Disability Surcharges
At the center of McAuley's argument are Title II regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2010, which explicitly bar state and local government entities from imposing surcharges on people with disabilities to cover the cost of measures necessary for non-discriminatory treatment. Because the Tacoma Dome is owned and operated by the city's Venues & Events Department, it falls squarely under those Title II obligations.
The 21,000-capacity arena, Washington's largest indoor venue, completed a $31 million interior renovation in 2018 that overhauled its seating and spectator amenities, according to background compiled by the Tacoma Dome. Tacoma has maintained a municipal ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan since 1995, revised in 2008 and 2013, and the City of Tacoma maintains a grievance process through its Human Rights and Human Services Department.
The Legal Question
McAuley's case centers on whether requiring a caregiver to pay admission is an illegal disability surcharge.
The dispute raises the question of whether public accommodation venues may charge people with disabilities for the personal care assistants who accompany them.
McAuley has filed suit in federal court, and it remains to be seen whether Tacoma will change its ticketing policy for personal care assistants at the Dome.
