Hundreds of Orlando hotel jobs are being created by one company's expansion.

The Peabody Orlando is planning to open its $450 million expansion on this September, a move that will result in 200 additional permanent full-time jobs, as well as 200 temporary part-time jobs.

Construction of the hotel's expansion alone created 1,200 temporary construction jobs during the past few years. While the main expansion will open September 23, the hotel is already booking meetings in its new convention space, which is slated to open in July.

"This is a huge project for Central Florida, especially in this tough economic environment," Peabody Hotels President Alan Villaverde told the Memphis Daily News.

As part of the expansion, all guest rooms are being renovated to include LED motion-censored night lights, 42-inch LCD TVs, 19-inch LCD Tvs in bathroom mirrors, and iPod docking stations.

Other renovations include travertine wall tiles and polished marble floors in the new registration area, a lobby bar, a 6,000-square-foot bar called Rocks, and the installation of furniture in a guest tower structure.

After the expansion is complete, The Peabody Orlando will offer 1,641 guest rooms, including 163 suites; 300,000 square feet of flexible function space; the 22,000-square-foot Peabody Spa & Athletics Club; and 12 dining and entertainment options.

The Memphis-based Peabody Hotel Group is a subsidiary of Belz Enterprises, a real estate development and management firm. The company operates hotels in Orlando, Memphis and Little Rock.

Labels: Orlando hotel jobs