TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Ringing in the New Year looked much different for one local business that usually welcomes hundreds of people.
On a regular year, Hotel Congress is filled with music, dancing, and even fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
"A year ago, we were launching fireworks off of the Hotel Congress roof [and] there were probably no less than 5,000 people downtown. It was in conjunction with the Arizona Bowl, so the party last year was absolutely over the top [and] epic," said Todd Hanley, CEO of Hotel Congress.
This year, Hanley said there is no comparison. The hotel only entertained the guests staying in 24 of its rooms. He described this year’s intimate celebration as challenging, rewarding, and complex.
"You're trying to balance having the best possible experience around service and hospitality. At the same time, [we're] trying to make sure that we're as close to perfect in our safety procedures as possible,” he explained.
This isn’t the only change the hotel has undergone this year, Hotel Congress closed twice because of the pandemic. Safety is top of mind for Hanley and his team.
"We have been testing our staff every two weeks since mid-October just because that's important to us with 90 employees we need to make sure that we are as safe as we possibly can,” said Hanley.
He added his team hopes there will be some sense of normalcy in the late spring and fall like bringing back live music and the nightclub, but says there isn't any sense in looking forward to anything until the community is safe.
