Washington, D.C. – October 16, 2014 – U.S. Representative Patrick Murphy (FL-18) today toured the DoubleTree Palm Beach Gardens as part of the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s (AH&LA’s) “heart of house” hotel tour. The behind-the-scenes property tour provided Rep. Murphy an opportunity to discuss issues of job growth and career building in the hotel industry with staff and their employers, and to hear from them about issues they care about.

“The men and women I met today are truly the heart of this hotel,” said Congressman Murphy. “It’s clear from their commitment and hard work that this industry provides incredible upward mobility. I have no doubt that these hard-working individuals will make the most of their career, provide for their families and give back to this community.”

The DoubleTree’s General Manager Glenn Spanier led the tour of the 279-room property. Tourism is a big driver of economic growth in the state of Florida. The hotel industry is a major contributor to economy, creating 160,000 jobs to support more than 400,000 hotel rooms in the state. Employee wages totaled more than $5 billion in 2012.

“What happens in Washington, D.C. affects all my employees and my hotel,” said Spanier. “We encouraged Rep. Murphy to ensure that Congress protects our ability to grow and hire, and I am grateful that he has taken the time to visit us and hope he will now consider our feedback as he makes policy decisions.”

The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee lodging industry, is working together, in partnership with its state associations, to engage with members of congress on the “Heart of the House” hotel tours to provide an in-depth look at the career opportunities available as well as the economic impact the lodging industry has on the local, state and national economies.