Penn State’s Nittany Lion Inn to be repurposed as isolation space during COVID-19 pandemic
Penn State students are slated to return for in-person classes this fall, but the Nittany Lion Inn will remain closed, as its 223 rooms will be used as isolation spaces for those who might contract the coronavirus.
Penn State announced the inn’s continued closure during a virtual town hall held Monday. Penn State President Eric Barron said the decision will affect the jobs of 79 inn employees, and while the university is considering alternative work for displaced staff, he said some staff members will be laid off.
The inn has been closed since March, but employees received their full salary through May 3. Employees who could not work remotely received 50% of their salaries and benefits based on pay, Barron said. Employees will continue to receive half of their pay and benefits through July 31.
“The financial and other impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the University are forcing Penn State to make many hard decisions, and this one is among the most difficult because of how it affects our dedicated employees,” Barron said. “While we had hoped to reopen both of our hotels and return to full operations, extremely challenging financial conditions and the need for isolation space ultimately compelled us to make this decision. I know this is difficult news for employees of the Inn, and, while it is not much consolation at this time, I sincerely thank them for their years of committed service to the university.”
Officials anticipate COVID-19 will have a more than $260 million impact on Penn State over the next year, and because its hotels are self-sustaining, tuition and other funding cannot be used to keep them open, the university said in a release.
As of Monday, Penn State anticipates the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center to reopen in July.
This story was originally published June 22, 2020 at 2:44 PM.
