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Contractors working on the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center at National Harbor are suing the hotel company for $80 million they say they are owed for unpaid work.

"When the economy is as bad as it is, it really hurts the individual not to get his money on time," said attorney Seth Robbins, who is representing National Fire Protection of Rockville in its $1.1 million suit.

More than 21 contractors are suing the Nashville, Tenn., hotel company in Prince George's County Circuit Court.

Stephen Seeger, Robbins' partner at Quagliano and Seeger, represents MTR Electrical Construction LLC of Beltsville in its $15.7 million claim.

Most of the smaller suits stem from a suit by Perini/Tompkins Joint Venture, the project's general construction manager, which is also pressing for back pay for its work on the 300-acre Oxon Hill development.

According to Robbins, National Fire Protection completed all of its work on the project's sprinkler and alarm systems by April 1, while MTR just finished its work Oct. 3.

Robbins said that someone who works for a law firm that handles many construction cases, he's seen many instances of contractors not being paid after completing large projects, but it's not common to see such a large number of contractors filing suit at once. He emphasized that local contractors could be getting hit the hardest.

"I'm not sure why it hasn't flowed down to the subcontractors yet," he said. "The subcontractors are really being the banks for this one."

Gaylord is trying to close out the project and is committed to ensuring Perini/Tompkins pay its subcontractors, said Gaylord Entertainment spokesman Brian Abrahamson. He said Gaylord has already issued joint checks, which include both Perini and subcontractors as the designees, and in some cases, Perini has elected to withhold payment.

"Gaylord is looking into the matter and will continue to make every effort to ensure the subcontractors are paid for work performed," Abrahamson said.

Ray Sowers, a partner at Oncore Construction in Bladensburg, feels differently about the situation, having worked out a deal with Gaylord to guarantee his payment. His company had previously sued Gaylord for payment.

Oncore provided the foundation package and parking structure for the project. The company is also working on the Wyndham Hotel and another National Harbor project.

Sowers said Oncore has received the balance of its $3.5 million for work completed last winter.

"It's one of the things that irritate me about this whole system," Sowers said, explaining that contractors may not receive their last 10 percent until as much as a year following project completion. The other 90 percent comes in monthly installments.

Because major construction is usually finished before other work such as plumbing, electrical and windows is done, builders may have the longest wait for their final payments, Sowers said.

Victor Cornellier, president of TSI Exterior Wall Systems in Landover, said he also recently withdrew his claim and has received all but 5 percent of his $25 million contract. He said the claim was filed because payment is a slow process and he was approaching the deadline for filing a lien. TSI did all of Gaylord's glasswork, except for skylight work.