Add the landmark Hotel Jerome to the list of local businesses cutting jobs.
Broomfield-based RockResorts International LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vail Resorts, laid off three employees at the hotel — a chef, caterer and a front-desk clerk — to reduce costs, according to new Hotel Jerome General Manager Brendan Carlin, who arrived a week ago from The Mosaic in Beverly Hills.
The nation’s collapsing economy is forcing businesses big and small to examine their payrolls more closely, often times with harsh results for American workers and their families. The U.S. unemployment rate reached a 14-year high when 240,000 jobs were shed in October. The Jerome is just the latest in a growing number of employers cutting staff through attrition and layoffs.
“I don’t think anyone is immune,” Carlin said.
The phones at lodging properties aren’t ringing with the same frequency as they used to. The Aspen Chamber Resort Association’s monthly occupancy report released last week showed bookings at Aspen and Snowmass properties are down significantly from a year ago. Aspen Skiing Co. officials recently said reservations through Jan. 11 were down more than 20 percent compared to 2007, although its bookings for later in the season were looking better than usual.
Jeff Hanle, spokesman for SkiCo, said there are conspicuous vacancies at the five-star Little Nell hotel, but the property will maintain its full staff.
“Occupancy levels aren’t what they have been at the Nell,” Hanle said, “but that’s an opportunity to get other people in there. There’s usually a waiting list to get a room at the Nell” over the holidays and during other peak times.
The Nell’s loyal guests might only stay at the property once or twice this winter whereas they might have visited Aspen two or three times during better economic times, Hanle said. He said the Little Nell hopes to offset the lost business by reaching out to area guests who haven’t cracked its waiting list.
Still, lean times may be ahead.
“We’ll continue to manage our business in a smart way and watch expenses,” said Hanle, adding that SkiCo intends to be well positioned as “the top experience in the ski world” when the economy turns around.
Staffing at the St. Regis Aspen is “running steady” in the run up to the holiday season, according to sales director Ben Mollere.
“We’re anticipating the dates around the holidays will be filled. Today there is a little softness but every single day we’re gaining a little more ground,” Mollere said. “I’m anticipating we’ll be in good shape and I’m optimistic we’ll be mighty close to meeting our budgeted numbers for this year.”
Kelly Ladyga, spokeswoman for RockResorts, said the layoffs at the Hotel Jerome are the unfortunate consequence of doing business.
“We’re constantly looking for ways to operate more efficiently across the entire company and sometimes that may involve eliminating a job here or there,” she said.
RockResorts manages the operations of the Hotel Jerome. The hotel is owned by Elysian Worldwide LLC and Lodging Capital Partners LLC, both headquartered in Chicago.
hoop@aspendailynews.ocm