Ashvegas reader: The Biltmore Company planning major lay-offs at start of 2009

A loyal reader says that the Biltmore Company is planning to lay off employees after the first of the new year, and her note is below. The reader references the departure of long-time marketing and communications director Elizabeth Sims, a departure Ashvegas noted here.

Can anyone confirm Biltmore's planned cuts? Does anyone know the extent of them? Here's the reader's note:

The Biltmore Company is planning a huge lay-off of workers at both the headquarters office, and the estate, just after the first of the year. This will be far more extensive than the usual reduction of seasonal workers. The administrative offices downtown have always had far too many employees, and many of them are well-paid people who have been there quite a while, but contribute very little to revenue generation.

Revenue for the company is way off even their already paired-down forecasts. Many of Biltmore's ventures have been failures, e.g. branding home decor items. Also the high gas prices of the summer really hurt. Execs also made the mistake of spending large amounts to rebrand the company with marketing and advertising expenses that did not deliver visitors or shoppers. There is indeed a reason why marketing director Elizabeth Sims was pushed-out of the company. In keeping with their secretive ways, I expect the Biltmore Co. to try and cover up the scale of their cutbacks and layoffs. The reality is that things are not well with this company..

Comments

[Black Mtn Bill]

Not surprising about Biltmore since it was always a terrible place to work to start with. They barely paid workers minimum wage and treated them like dirt. I worked there last summer and would rather flip burgers at MickeyD's any day.