Dozens of positions to be filled by summer of 2010
Before The Hotel at Kirkwood Center opens its doors to serve guests next year, it will be serving the eastern Iowa economy. Hotel managers expect to hire 75 new workers to staff it. The new employees will mostly be from the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area, with a majority of the jobs full-time with benefits.
“The Hotel will need everything from guest room attendants and bell staff to managers and supervisors. Some of these positions will be entry-level while others will need to bring a lot of work experience to the table,” said General Manager Lee Belfield.
In addition to Belfield’s role as the general manager, The Hotel at Kirkwood Center has already hired the director of sales and an executive assistant. The plan is to hire a front office manager, executive chef and catering sales manager by January. Belfield said he’d like all of the 75 positions to be filled a month ahead of the targeted July 1, 2010 opening day.
Students in the Hospitality Arts department at Kirkwood Community College will also help staff The Hotel. In addition to classroom lectures, their days will be spent gaining real-world experience while working alongside the hired professional staff.
“Working in the hospitality field is unlike many others. Every employee will be the face of The Hotel,” Belfield said. “From the first second you step foot out of your car our valet will greet you, then our bell person will help with your luggage as you go inside to be greeted by the front desk. Our guest room attendants will have readied your room, and others will make sure any food and meeting needs are taken care of. All of this will happen under the supervision and guidance of the staff we hire.”
The four-story facility is under construction on the south side of the main Kirkwood campus. When complete, The Hotel at Kirkwood Center will offer 71 guest rooms including six suites, and a variety of other lodging choices.
“This facility is designed as much for the student experience as college and public guest options. It is being built as a learning-laboratory for students to be better prepared when they enter the professional hospitality industry,” Belfield added.
The new teaching laboratory/hotel facility will offer upscale lodging, dining and meeting services to local guests and travelers while providing a real-time, comprehensive learning experience to hundreds of students each year in Kirkwood’s Culinary Arts, Restaurant Management, Hotel Management and related programs. The Hotel’s guest rooms, suites and meeting/conference facilities will include a breakfast/lunch/dinner restaurant with banquet and meeting services.
Updated information and views of construction progress are available via the Kirkwood Community College Web site:
http://www.thehotelatkirkwood.com