Hiroshi Nakauchi, who represents Kobe Portopia, the hotel owner, was joined by Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Villagomez in cutting the ceremonial ribbon to mark the opening of the three-story building.
The staff house, which Villagomez jokingly called the “Hyatt Condo,” is located at the Sugar King Estate in Gualo Rai. It has its own reverse osmosis drinking water system and a 455-kwh generator.
Stewart Jamieson, director of the Hyatt’s engineering department, said the staff house has 66 units and will accommodate up to 132 staffers.
Each unit has two bedrooms, a toilet, a bathroom and a kitchen.
The new building also has 12 management flats with bedrooms and a big lounge.
The Hyatt’s human resource department said 120 employees, mostly nonresidents, have already moved in about three weeks ago.
The Hyatt has 298 employees.
Nakauchi said the construction of the staff house started in Nov. 2007. It is their goal, he added, to provide their employees a better living environment.
“Despite the turbulent economic and labor situation it was completed today, right on the target date,” he said on Wednesday.
Hyatt general manager Nick Nishikawa said since hotel personnel play a major part in promoting CNMI tourism, the island’s main industry, it is necessary to provide them with a staff house that can motivate them to strive for excellence.
Motivation, he said, is the key to good service just as a “happy environment for employees is key to promote tourism.”
“The front-liners of tourism live here,” Nishikawa said.
Villagomez said the new staff house is an added feature to the Sugar King Estate.
He wishes the Hyatt employees many years of comfort in their new staff house.
