CLARIFICATION: County Confirms Three Days at The Hotel at UMD — But Key Questions About Cost and Lodging Remain Unanswered
By Barry O’Connell
Maryland Wire
Prince George’s County officials have now confirmed that the county’s storm “command center” operated for three full days inside Top of the 7s, the penthouse‑level meeting facility at The Hotel at the University of Maryland.
This clarification follows earlier reporting that the county may have used the hotel’s Presidential Suite. New information indicates the command center was located in the hotel’s top‑floor meeting space instead — but the cost implications remain largely the same, and the county still refuses to provide any numbers.
What the County Confirmed Today
After calling County Executive Aisha Braveboy directly, I received a return call from Devon Martin, a senior official in her administration. Martin confirmed the following:
- The county’s storm command center was active for three days.
- The location was Top of the 7s, the hotel’s penthouse meeting facility.
- He was not able to say whether county officials stayed overnight in the hotel or how many rooms were used.
- When asked whether the cost reached six figures, Martin said it was “not nearly that high,” but he provided no numbers and said he would “look at the bills when they come in.”
This is the first direct acknowledgment from the administration that the county operated out of the hotel for multiple days.
Why the Location Clarification Doesn’t Change the Cost Picture
Two weeks ago, the County Council held a retreat in Top of the 7s. Multiple sources confirm the cost:
$50,000 for two days.
That retreat:
- Ended each day by 4 PM
- Included no dinner service
- Included no evening entertainment
- Involved daytime use only
That establishes a documented baseline:
≈ $25,000 per day for Top of the 7s under normal daytime conditions.
The storm command center, however, was not a normal daytime event.
Three Days of Storm Operations Changes the Math
Councilmember Wanika Fisher stated publicly that she was present for three days.
Even at the bare‑minimum daytime rate, that implies:
$75,000+
But storm operations typically require:
- 24‑hour access
- Continuous staffing
- Catering
- Security
- AV support
- Service charges (22–28%)
Under those conditions, Top of the 7s can easily reach:
$35,000–$40,000+ per day
Three days at that rate: $105,000–$120,000
And that assumes no overnight rooms.
The Unanswered Question: Where Did They Sleep?
Martin did not say:
- Whether county officials stayed in the hotel
- How many rooms were used
- Whether suites were booked
- Whether the Presidential Suite was used for lodging
- How many staff remained on‑site overnight
If the county booked:
- The Presidential Suite,
- Additional executive suites,
- Staff rooms,
- Security rooms,
the total cost rises sharply.
Industry‑standard pricing for a three‑day, multi‑suite, penthouse‑level operation places the realistic range at:
$150,000–$250,000
This is not speculation — it is standard math for luxury hotel facilities under multi‑day government use.
Attempts to Verify
To ensure accuracy:
- I called the County Executive’s Office — no answer, with recording citing the storm.
- I called The Hotel at the University of Maryland — the hotel refused to connect calls to the room in question.
- Only after calling the County Executive’s personal cell phone did a senior official return the call.
The county has still provided no documentation and no cost figures.
Bottom Line
The county now confirms:
- They were at The Hotel at UMD
- They used Top of the 7s
- They were there for three days
But they cannot or will not say:
- How many rooms were used
- Who stayed overnight
- Whether suites were booked
- What the total cost was
Whether the storm command center was in the Presidential Suite or Top of the 7s, the cost to taxpayers remains in the same extraordinary range.
A three‑day operation in the hotel’s penthouse facilities — with unknown lodging arrangements — could easily exceed $100,000, and depending on suites and staffing, up to a quarter‑million dollars.
The public deserves transparency.
The county has provided none.
Not ***Alsobrooks
Why is there a picture of Nene Leakes as the lead photo with the caption, “Was Nene Leakes Partying in the Command Center?” but no further mention of her in the story? How is Nene Leakes relevant to this story?