101 jobs to be cut when Hyatt Regency closes in Sarasota

More than 100 workers will be laid off in Sarasota this June after the Hyatt Regency closes its doors, according to a notice filed with the state. The last day of operations for the hotel will be May 31.

Interstate Management Company LLC, doing business as Aimbridge Hospitality, filed the layoff notice this week, which was published to the Florida Department of Commerce Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification website. Aimbridge Hospitality manages the staff working at the Hyatt Regency in Sarasota, where the WARN notice says 101 employees will be laid off from June 1-15. 

“The job eliminations are expected to be permanent, and they will occur over a period of time while the company winds down operations at the Hotel,” Michael Vishny, vice president of human resources for Interstate Management Company LLC, says in a letter posted to the WARN site. The hotel will close June 1 or within 14 days of that date, the WARN notice says. 

“Aimbridge, however, is actively working to identify alternative employment opportunities for individuals impacted by the Hotel's closing at different hotel properties in the surrounding area," Vishny says.

Announcement of the layoffs comes after Delray Beach-based developer Kolter Group unveiled plans for a new Hyatt-branded hotel on the site.

The current 294-room Hyatt Regency, which was opened in 1975 at 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, will be demolished. Next the site will be redeveloped into a luxury condominium that also includes a hotel. The new hotel will be called Hyatt Centric Harborside and contain 174 guest rooms; more than 7,000 square feet of event space, including a ballroom; a ground-floor restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating; and a pool bar.

Kolter Hospitality, a division of Kolter Group, will oversee management of the new hotel.

“The redevelopment of the Hyatt Regency was necessary, and we’re positive that the Harborside will not only serve as a vibrant destination for visitors and locals but will also revitalize modern meeting and event spaces, fostering business growth and connectivity,” Kolter Hospitality President Scott Webb says in a statement unrelated to the announced layoffs. “This development will create long-term employment opportunities for Sarasota residents, further contributing to the city’s economic vitality.”

The number of positions expected at the new hotel was not immediately available.

To help the displaced employees who worked at the Hyatt Regency, Kolter Hospitality will be hosting a job fair in the coming months, according to a statement. Kolter Hospitality also manages Embassy Suites in Sarasota and The Westin Sarasota.

Construction for the new Hyatt Centric Harborside hotel will begin in the fourth quarter of 2025.