Bentley Brook Cuts Jobs
Bentley Brook cuts 40 positions
Bentley Brook cuts 40 positions
Complex to keep half its staff
By Tony
Dobrowolski, Berkshire Eagle Staff
Updated: 01/10/2009 09:29:46 AM
EST
Saturday, January 10
HANCOCK — Wyndham Berkshire Bentley Brook, a
condominium complex on Corey Road, has closed its sales office, resulting in the
layoff of 40 employees, a company spokesman said Friday.
The laidoff
employees will be given comprehensive severance packages, said Wyndham
spokesperson Liz Hutchison. Bentley Brook, which opened in 1998, is owned by
Wyndham Vacation Ownership of Orlando, Fla., a subsidiary of Wyndham
Worldwide.
The resort has 80 total employees, but no additional layoffs
will take place.
"It's done," Hutchison said.
Located at the
Jiminy Peak ski resort, Wyndham Berkshire Bentley Brook has 155 condominium
timeshares.
Former Bentley Brook employee Natasha Broadwell of Pittsfield
said the workers were informed that the sales office would be closing on
Wednesday.
"Everyone was completely shocked," said Broadwell, who began
work at Bentley Brook on Dec. 1. "People were crying. It was
crazy."
Hutchison said Wyndham has been closing sales offices across the
country because the credit crisis combined with the turbulent economy has slowed
resort development growth.
"This is not an isolated incident," she
said.
According to its Web site, Wyndam Worldwide maintains 7,000 hotels,
200,000 hotel units, and 145 vacation ownership sites.
