Prince George’s Community College will open a Hospitality and Tourism Institute this fall, thanks to funding from a future tenant of the National Harbor development.
The institute will offer associate’s degrees in Hospitality Services Management and Culinary Arts, and a one-year certificate of Hospitality Operations program.
Troy Hengst, director of the new institute, said Gaylord Entertainment made it a reality by giving $1 million over three years to cover startup costs, including supplies, recruiting, advertising, technology and curriculum.
“They want to make an investment to the community college here in this county that will, hopefully, in turn bring potential employees,” Hengst said.
Gaylord is building a 2,000-room resort and convention center at the National Harbor site, located along the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, just south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
The hotel and convention center — plus others pieces of the Peterson Companies’ 300-acre, $2 billion hotel, office, residential and retail project — are slated to open in April.
“We saw this as an opportunity because this is something that Prince George’s really didn’t have — a full-fledged hospitality program,” said Amie Gorrell, public relations manager for the Gaylord resort and convention center.
When the first phase of National Harbor is complete in fall 2009, said Rocell Viniard, National Harbor’s vice president of marketing, there will be between 3,500 and 5,000 employees. Most of them, she said, will be in hospitality and culinary-related positions.
“National Harbor as a whole is going to be able to benefit from this program,” Gorrell said.
Institute offerings:
» Associate’s Degree in Hospitality Services Management
» Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts
» Certificate of Hospitality Operation
