At 3 more Universal Orlando hotels, 840 people are losing their jobs
Nearly three months since Universal Orlando reopened its theme parks, about 840 employees at three hotels on the property are now out of their jobs as the the industry continues to struggle with a slow recovery in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
About 840 employees at Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Cabana Bay Beach Resort are indefinitely furloughed or were permanently terminated, according to a notice filed with the state this week.
In Orlando, an economy that runs on hotels and theme parks, it’s the latest blow from the coronavirus that’s made the unemployment rate in the metropolitan area the worst in the state.
There were earlier signs of economic struggles at Universal that have been felt throughout the Central Florida hospitality industry. Loews Hotels shut down two other Universal Orlando hotels, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel, as of Aug. 21. No notice with the state, a requirement under federal law for mass layoffs, appears to be filed yet for those two hotels.
