Choice Hotels International broke ground on its corporate headquarters Tuesday in Rockville, marking the beginning of construction of a 197,866 square-foot office building.

The company executed a 10-year lease for a corporate headquarters building on Rockville Pike in July as part of a $4.4 million deal struck to keep the company in Montgomery County. The money comes from loans, tax breaks, and other incentives from the City of Rockville, Montgomery County, and the State of Maryland, said Steven A. Silverman, the county’s director of economic development.

Choice Hotels will add 75 people to its work force in Rockville as part of the deal, said Heather Soule, company spokeswoman. The company employs about 400 people at its headquarters and owns more than 6,000 hotels worldwide. Choice Hotels has been headquartered in Silver Spring since 1968.

Rockville announces Labor Day changes to trash, recycling

In observance of Labor Day, there will be no recyling or refuse collection Monday. Residential collection will move forward one day. Friday customers should put out items Saturday. For more information, call 240-314-8568.

Rockville City Hall will also close for the holiday and most facilities will not open or will operate on a regular schedule. RedGate Municipal Golf Course and Rockville Swim and Fitness Center will stay open.

Parking meter fees will be waived.

Sept. 11 ceremony to honor victims, families

Courthouse Square Park, a memorial park dedicated to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon, will fill with people Sept. 9 for a remembrance ceremony.

The September 11 Remembrance Ceremony, beginning at 12:30 p.m., will feature a wreath laying, the reading of victims’ names, musical performances, and addresses made by city and county officials.

The community is invited to attend, remember and honor the victims, their families, emergency responders, and military personnel.

For more information, contact Colleen McQuitty, City of Rockville special events manager, at cmcquitty@rockvillemd.gov or 240-314-8606.

Alison Bryant covers the City of Rockville for The Gazette. Contact her at abryant@gazette.net or 301-280-3005.