Salem’s hospitality industry was jolted anew Thursday with word that the owner of the Grand Hotel and operator of the Salem Convention Center was laying off 227 employees in Salem and its other Willamette Valley operations.

VIP’S Industries Inc. advised the state by letter dated Wednesday, April 8, that the Salem-based company was laying off 72 employees who worked at the convention center and 26 from the Grand Hotel in Salem. It also listed 40 workers at Bentley’s Grill, one of Salem’s upscale restaurants that operated inside the hotel until it closed March 17 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel, the grand queen of lodging in Salem, was still operating on Thursday and taking reservations, according to a front desk worker. The company declined to comment.

VIP’S Industries also said it was laying off 61 employees at its Phoenix Inn Suites operations on SE Commercial Street and in Albany, Eugene and Lake Oswego.