text: Sheraton Iowa City to cut 30 jobs, close temporarily
  Sheraton to cut 30 jobs, close temporarily by end of December
  Sheraton Iowa City will lay off 30 employees and temporarily close on Dec. 31 as it transitions to the Graduate Iowa City boutique hotel.
  Mary Powers, vice president of human resources for the Davidson Hotel Company, reported the cuts and closure in an Oct. 27 letter to Mayor Jim Throgmorton. Davidson Hotel Company operates the Sheraton at 210 S. Dubuque St. and Hotel Vetro at 201 S. Linn St.
  Powers said in the letter the closure is "expected to be temporary" and that the "employee separations in connection with the hotel temporarily closing will occur on Dec. 31."
  A different company spokesperson, Kerri Crannis, said in an email Friday that the company has "provided pay to stay bonuses for our staff and they'll all be invited back once the hotel re-opens."
  Positions listed in Powers' letter include the general manager, banquet and cooking staff, two front desk agents and others. Steve Smyka, general manager of the Sheraton and Hotel Vetro, told the Press-Citizen earlier this year that there are anywhere between 115 to 150 employees working at the Sheraton at any given time.
  The letter comes about five months after the Press-Citizen reported the hotel would be sold to Graduate Hotels, owned by Chicago-based AJ Capital Partners. Tim Franzen, president of Graduate Hotels, in a May email said the 234-room Sheraton would be remodeled and reopen as the Graduate Iowa City boutique hotel by next summer.
  Iowa City Assessor records show the Sheraton sold on June 29 for about $26 million to Graduate Hotels ownership. Franzen in May also said the 56-room Hotel Vetro would be included as part of the purchase agreement but would continue operating as it is.