There’s a new recruit in the area hotel market, but it’s no minor leaguer and its opening and size will certainly cause ripples in the west suburban hotel landscape.

Westin Hotels and Resorts, which operates 121 upscale facilities across the world, is all a flurry with simultaneous construction and sales efforts for its newest location, the Westin Lombard Yorktown Center, set to open its doors in mid-August.

“From a construction standpoint they are simultaneously working on the guest rooms, meeting space and public areas,” said Sara Marach, director of sales and marketing. “We have floors of guest rooms that are complete and awaiting the mass move in of furniture and fixtures.”

Under the management of Mid-America Hotel Partners LLC, the hotel tower will stand 18 stories high with 500 rooms, and offer such amenities as private terraces for several suites, a fitness center and WestinWORKOUT guest rooms.

With more than 50,000 square-feet of meeting space and 15,000 square-feet of pre-function space, it features a 20,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. Additionally, Harry Caray’s Restaurant Group will operate a 10,000-square-foot Harry Caray’s Restaurant, and its new restaurant concept, a 6,000-square-foot Holy Mackerel! American Fish House in the hotel. These additions stand to bring in local diners as well as tourists seeking Chicago nostalgia.

Westin executives said the company chose the location at the eastern edge of Yorktown Center because of its appeal to business, group and leisure travelers.

“We are continuing our 18-month pre-sales efforts and aggressively penetrating the local and national markets,” Marach said. “Pre-opening begins with just a couple of sales managers that handle the long term booking segments, like the association market. These segments have a 12-18 month future booking window, so we must work them as far in advance as possible.”

All this advance work also means hiring and training staff to be ready to go come opening day, and Westin executives are taking the staffing of this hotel very seriously.

“From a staffing level, we have opened our recruitment office in Yorktown Center where we are accepting applications, interviewing and hiring employees for the hotel.” Marach said.

It is the first recruitment office of its kind in Illinois for Starwood Hotels and Resorts.

During this 90-day recruitment period, the management team will be able to introduce the new hotel to prospective associates so they can determine if it is the right environment for them. Similarly, the hotel management team will have a full opportunity to talk with candidates and gain a better understanding of their background and penchant for working in a fast-paced, fully-equipped, convention-oriented hotel.

“We’ve come a long way since the days when hotel staffing was more of a job fair which involved mass hiring in a chaotic atmosphere rather than the thorough and calmly-paced program we’re launching now,” said Diane Wnek, human resources director for the hotel.

For the brand new Westin Lombard Yorktown Center, the hiring process will be radically different—and far better—for everyone involved.

“We’re in the hospitality business—so it makes good sense for the Westin Lombard, from day one, to show potential associates the reason we have earned a great reputation for our hospitality and service,” Wnek said. “Job applicants will be treated with the same courtesy and respect we would give to our guests.”

The recruitment office, located inside the Yorktown Center, features comfortable couches, chairs, attractive lighting and other touches of hospitality. In the application area there are computers for job candidates to fill out online job applications. The recruitment office is staffed with at least two people at all times so that applicants needing assistance filling out the computer-based application can get the help they need. There will be actual uniforms on site so candidates can see what they will be wearing on the job.

“It’s all about personalization in the hiring process,” said Wnek. “We’re clearly building a hotel culture from the ground up and we want to hire people who are enthusiastic about what we’re doing. At the same time, we need to feel confident our new hires will be a good fit for the Westin.”

Hotel executives believe the recruitment process will assure candidates get an immediate understanding of the Westin Brand and the culture.

“We believe that the hiring of our staff is an important responsibility for the entire hotel management team,” said Wnek. “Every manager will participate in the interviewing and screening process.”

To take best advantage of candidates’ time, hotel managers will conduct pre-screening interviews as soon as the job application is filled out. Moreover, the office will be open seven days a week to accommodate people who are currently working.

“Since the first day for the associates at the Westin Lombard won’t be until Aug. 1, we don’t want people to jeopardize their current jobs,” explained Wnek.

Meanwhile, the Westin sales team solicits business via phone, attends tradeshows, holds office visits and conducts “hard hat” tours of the facility.

“Our pre-opening offices have an actually mock guest room on site to allow prospective clients to see the quality room product their attendees will experience,” Marach said.

As the opening grows closer, the hotel will hire managers to work the corporate market on a local and national level.

“All pre-sales efforts are heavily based on cold calling and getting the hotel name awareness into the market to drive future demand,” Marach said. “We have seen much anticipation of our opening and we are gearing up for occupancies to be on par with the other upscale area hotels.”