Expedia to close call center in Las Vegas

August 18

In Las Vegas, the call center of an Internet travel company is calling it quits. Expedia.com, is the company that was a huge catapult in launching the careers of two of the highest profile and well known names in gaming today.

Expedia's Washington state based parent company, a division of IAC/InterActiveCorp., stated today that the company will indeed be closing the company during the next nine months. The company will move an approximate 100 call center jobs to Miami, Florida and Tacoma, Washington.

Expedia's Senior Vice President of Customer Service, Robb Kreig, stated the Las Vegas center was the most expensive to operate. They currently have eight centers nationwide. This fact led the parent company to the decision of consolidation. This, it is stated, will compile their resources and save the company money. Kreig also said that company policy stopped him from announcing the hourly rate employees make at the Vegas call center. It is noted that this might be on of the reasons the center is closing.

Kreig says that the employees effected by the closing of the center in Vegas will be offered positions at other call centers with their help. They also state that there will be other positions available for them at other IAC/InterActiveCorp. divisions as well. These such companies include Ticketmaster, Hotwire.com, LendingTree.com., Hotels.com., and Match.com..

Other support functions for Expedia are said to be remaining in Vegas. These functions include market management, accounting, and other personnel departments. Kreig says that he does not know how many of these employees will be staying in the Vegas area after the center closes.

Expedia.com is the nation's largest Internet travel company. It started out as Travelscape.com, founded by Tim Poster and Tom Breitling. Poster and Breitling sold the company to Expedia.com  in early 2000, for approximately $105 million. You may know these two men from their now famous purchase of The Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas. Fox TV is now chronicling their adventures on the very popular reality show - The Casino.

Approximately one year ago, IAC/InterActiveCorp. finished their purchase of Expedia.com..