The accommodations and lounge portion of the Rodd Colony Harbour Inn in Yarmouth will close as of Jan. 31, Mark Rodd, president and CEO of Rodd Hotels & Resorts, has announced.
“This is an emotional day for our company, our staff and the town of Yarmouth,” he said Monday afternoon, Jan. 17, when the announcement was made.
The decision affects 20 workers, about a dozen of them full-time staff.
“We have been hanging on in hopes of an economic turnaround, but with the announcement in late December that there will be no ferry service for the 2011 season, we had no choice but to take action,” he said.
He described the 2010 season as “a struggle,” adding “we, as a company, cannot go through another one like it.”
Addressing local community leaders and others, he said, “At this point it will be business as usual at the Colony Restaurant.”
The 65-hotel-room portion and the Thirsty Fisherman will be closed down in such a manner that it can be quickly re-opened when there is a call for room nights in the area such as sporting events, conventions, etc., the company says.
“This ‘ready to open’ operational structure is used effectively in two of our seasonal resorts,” Rodd said. “When the demand is there, we can be ready to go.”
Rodd Hotels & Resorts will continue to sell and market Yarmouth, the company says, noting that there are no plans to alter services at the Grand Hotel, another Rodd property and the setting for the announcement regarding the Colony.
The staff of the Colony was notified earlier in the day of the closedown.
In a media release, the company said, “The loss of jobs will have an immediate effect on the Yarmouth economy.”
Said Mark Rodd, “It is our hope that this decision to close is not a permanent one. We will revisit our decision upon the announcement of ferry service in the future.”
Among those on hand to hear the announcement was Yarmouth Mayor Phil Mooney.
“I was disappointed in the announcement that they’re closing rooms at the Colony,” the mayor said, “but, like Mark (Rodd) said today, they can open up those rooms in an hour’s notice. The positive thing … is that they’re not going to take those out of place until they see if we can get a ferry service for 2012.”
The mayor added, “I’m glad that Mark came down here personally (to deliver the news) … The Rodds have been a great supporter of Yarmouth and Yarmouth County.”
As for the chances of having a ferry in 2012, the mayor said, “We’re going to try as hard as we can.”
