Gaylord To Be A Major Employer

The massive hotel and convention center has posted more than 2,000 open positions on its Web site. (The Peterson Cos.)

"This is probably like nothing we've seen in the county so far," said David Byrd, deputy chief administrative officer for governmental operations, environmental services and economic development. "It shows where we are going as a county."

Gaylord has hired 140 employees. Some have come from other Gaylord locations and other hotels and resorts. And others, Stewart said, "came without prior hotel experience but demonstrated an ability to learn."

Stewart said Gaylord offers competitive wages and prides itself on being a good employer that offers medical, dental and life insurance, 401(k) plans and education reimbursement. The company offers other perks, including subsidized meals in its cafeteria, an on-site fitness center and pet medical insurance.

"This is a golden opportunity for our students," said Shelton Rhodes, chairman of the department of management, marketing and public administration at Bowie State University. "We want more opportunity for our students, not only after they graduate, but for internships."

Stewart said the company has had a huge response even without its planned print advertisements, direct mailings and billboards in Metro stations.

The influx of jobs comes as the county is experiencing a slight uptick in unemployment. The jobless rate normally hovers around 3.5 percent, but current figures show an increase, up to 4.1 percent.

Peter Morici, an economist and business school professor at the University of Maryland, said Gaylord's benefit to Prince George's will be based in large part on whether the employees live in the county and spend money there.

Jonathan Seeman, the county's budget director, said $16 million in income tax could be generated from the project over 30 years if all of the employees live in the county.

But there is no formal agreement with Gaylord to hire a certain percentage of county residents.

County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) asked that 30 percent of the jobs be filled with Prince George's residents. Gaylord officials have said that they will exceed those expectations.

"The lion's share of our staff will be identified locally," Stewart said.

Still, some county residents said they are not certain that Gaylord can live up to its pledge to hire local residents.

Olatunde Babayale, a businessman and president of the Tantallon South Civic Association, said he worries about the number and types of jobs that will be available to county residents.

"Unfortunately, what will happen is, they will bring their upper management from elsewhere," Babayale said. "We just hope that the jobs will go to the people in the community."

Staff writer Daniel LeDuc contributed to this report.