- Hello, I'm Tom McNamara.

Welcome to this special edition of Arizona Illustrated.

It's been called many things, Tucson's living room, the heart of downtown, a cultural gathering place.

Hotel Congress has become a crossroads for people from all walks of life and from all over the globe who've come to experience the authenticity of Tucson.

Tonight, we bring you a day in the life of Hotel Congress.

100 years after it's doors first opened Everything you see in tonight's episode was shot in one 24 hour period.

The story begins at 12:01 am, on Friday, October fourth.

(crowd talking) (tropical electronic music playing) - (Tierra] Tonight is opti night, every Thursday.

From ten to two, we play all of the music that your heart desires.

We play from house, to dance, to top 40, hip-hop and we may get a little crazy after that.

(hip hop music playing) - Huh?

No, I'm just checking ID's, top of your right hand.

There you go, enjoy.

Pretty smooth sailing, I think someone threw up in the cup hallway earlier today and we had to kick out a gentleman for being too intoxicated, but that's about it today.

My job?

It's actually kind of fun, I worked retail my entire life.

This is different, it's fast and loose a little bit.

But I work with great people and I get to see a lot of the downtown culture.

Oh, what's up Brent, how are you doing?

- Yeah, what's up?

Damn.

- It's good to see you.

- I recognized you outside.

- Yeah me too we look the same, man.

- [Man] Yeah.

- There you go man.

- (Lauren) I caught an elderly couple just being very intimate with each other at our checkerboard table one evening.

That was pretty rough, first time I've ever seen something like that, you can't mistake it, I was like, oh no, ew, gross, and I just flashed my flashlight on them and we kicked them out.

Then I took a five minute break and went back to work.

(pounding club music playing) - Dancing is very natural, I just move with the music.

My Instagram handle is the guy who dances on Congress.

I dance three nights a week.

Because I like dancing (laughs) and it gets a lot of bad negative energy out.

(hip hop music playing) (Tierra) - I DJ because I want people to have fun.

I mean, and have a good time.

It's not just partying, you have to know to read your crowd.

(pulsing club music playing) Especially at Congress I can play whatever I want.

There's so many blends of people here today I didn't think it was going to be super busy, and it ended up being a total blast.

(upbeat music) (bartender) - You good?

-Drink some water... (Max) - I can't think of another place in the world that's like Congress, that can shift from being like an old fashioned hotel, to one of the biggest nightclubs in town, and a concert venue, and a restaurant.

I honestly don't think there's any other place that both is like this, and is able to make it work like Congress does.

(slow guitar music playing) (Krishna) - I come in like at midnight.

First when I start at my job, I was doing the housekeeping.

I started in 1995.

So almost 24 years.

Hard job, but still you know, I like it.

No one stop me, no one telling me to do things (mumbles).

That's why I like this place.

(Max) - I typically don't feel that lonely because, these guys on security and the bar staff, they're here cleaning up till like 4:00, 4:30.

And then there's overnight cleaners that hang out with me and the first people to open up the restaurant start coming in at 6:00.

So, if I had to feel like I'm truly alone, it's only going to be for like, and hour or so.

Usually I just read, or listen to music, pass the time, do homework.

[STREET SWEEPING SOUND] [SIREN IN THE DISTANCE] (Carol) Feeling a little frantic, not gonna lie, I was late (laughs) and you guys were here, so.

When I first come in I always make coffee.

And then I have to clean the case everyday.

I normally work 4:00 a.m. to 2:00, sometimes 3:00.

I'm here 11 hours a day, I've been a baker for ten years, and I've been here for four.

I love it in the morning, it's quiet, it's nice until everyone starts to come in, really.

[CART ROLLING ON BRICKS] - The weekends you can see the all floor looks like black.

All over the kitchen, lobbies, bars, clubs, and then this patio is so, (mumbles).

There's so much trash.

When they come in in the morning, people from seven o'clock beautify this place.

(mumbles) - The orange juice, Theresa.

- Thank you.

- You're very welcome.

I'll leave some extra spoons here for you.

You're very welcome, how does everything taste so far?

- Good.

- Excellent, enjoy, you're very welcome.

Morning, how are you doing?

- It's the cultural hub the community, that's what Hotel Congress is.

It means a lot to us as we see ourselves as stewards of this iconic property.

- It's a hundred year old building for God's sakes.

You have so many different businesses under one umbrella.

You have a whole restaurant, a back of the house kitchen chefs.

(Richard) It's almost like a machine that just keeps going 24 hours a day, there's no locks on the doors for a hundred years.

- We never close, there isn't one minute of one day that Hotel Congress isn't open for something.

- Can I grab you something to drink while (mumbles) sir?

- No thanks.

- Okay.

- It's a beautiful place.

- Isn't this pretty?

Especially in the morning, but even last night out here.

We are taking a vacation, kind of the trip of a lifetime.

We're traveling around the country, took Amtrak.

Left our home, went to Toledo, to Chicago, to Essex, Montana and now here in Tucson we leave tomorrow morning for New Orleans.

- Here you go.

- Oh, that's perfect, perfect!

Oh, and that's even better.

Wish we could stay longer, but (laughs), we gotta go.

- It dawns on me that this little nightclub, and we have a little restaurant, and then I realized, there's something like 215 employees spread out through our organization.

That's a giant place (laughs), it's giant.

We're just all little cogs in this thing.

This is not a historic building, it's very alive.

- It's called Hotel Congress, I don't think most people think about the hotel aspect of Hotel Congress often, at all.

- Morning ladies, how are you?

(speaking Spanish) (laughs) Our housekeeping staff is, for me, one of the best untold stories about Hotel Congress.

They are individuals who come from many different cultures.

- We have people from Congo, from Columbia, from Nepal.

- It's very very important to do the walkthrough.

Yesterday 242 was unlocked.

- And that is a catch 22.

- Well, we have to right?

(Dalice) They have a very unique way of collaborating, and get a job done, that is probably one of the hardest jobs that happens here.

(slow, serene music playing) (speaking Spanish) (speaking Spanish) (Jocelyn) So this is Jackie's room, she was going either through a really hard breakup or a really tough divorce at that time.

She kept making comments that she wanted to end her life, bartending staff and the front desk staff became so concerned, that they actually called the authorities, and when that happened, she immediately ran upstairs and locked herself into room 242.

Once SWAT team came and knocked on the door, she threatened that she would end her life, if they opened the door.

And unfortunately, SWAT team did not listen.

Since that happened, there's been so many reports in this room alone.

We get guests who literally cannot stay the night.

They will check out between 3:00 and 5:00 AM.

Which is usually the time that the most activity happens.

The Housekeepers also reported seeing blood appear from the walls.

And when they reported it and came back, there was nothing there, so little things like that.

(speaking Spanish) (Female Chef) Can I get a spoon please?

(Male Chef) Walking the huevos to the Congo, hellfire that and medium.

(Joe) My name is Joe Decker, I'm the executive chef here at the Hotel Congress.

(Male Chef) Three fries-- - What what?

(Female Chef) Tenders?

- Yeah, they're down.

I've been here for almost 20 years, when I was 21, I moved back to Tucson from Kansas, and I was looking for a job, that chef said, can you start right now?

And I've been here ever since.

- One more crouton salad.

- (Joe) The staff that you see in there has also been here for quite some time, tall guy is Jimmy he's our egg chef, he's been here about 15 years.

- On that mondo, no mozza, sub jack please.

(Joe) We've got a good rapport, and it's a little bit of a well oiled machine.

(Male Chef) (mumbles), 101 please.

(Joe) There's no better than watching someone take a bite of food, and seeing the joy on their face.

You can see how happy you can make someone by just making good food.

(quiet drum music playing) (Concierge) We are a historic property we were built in 1919, we're over a hundred years old.

This is the picture of the lobby a hundred years ago.

You can see that it's the same floor down there, yeah.

We also are most famous for the capturing of John Dillinger.

- There will be long lines, especially tonight, cause we have a show happening.

- Okay.

(Concierge) So y'all are VIP, so I'm going to put your name on my list here, so don't wait in any lines, go straight to the bouncer.

- I guess this is just our rooftop maintenance shop, if you will.

I love it up here, there's a couple times of year that it's a little rough.

My name is Justin Gall, and I've been at the Hotel almost nine years.

You're not going to run to the hardware store and find, some of the stuff I need here on a daily basis.

I treasure my kind of random parts that I have laying around because it is, you have to fix it with old stuff.

Or bring in some new wood that's identical, the new, it's a challenge sometimes.

Not that I'm the best at any of them, but I can work on air conditioners, plumbing, carpentry welding, I mean you name it I'll definitely give it a whirl.

[CART ROLLING ON BRICKS] (Gabe) How (beep) up are you guys?

(laughing) (bell ringing) [GLASS CLANKING] (Cameron) The seven p's of bartending, prior preparation prevents piss poor performance.

I guess it's six.

Someone orders, a Gray Goose and tonic I can just reach right here, I know where my Gray Goose is.

I know where my well vodka is, I know where my well whiskey is, it's all in a very particular spot that I have trained myself to know.

I am a very quiet person, generally, and I have a very social job, so takes a little bit of mental preparation.

I've actually never worked anywhere else.

I started here when I was 20, I'm 30 now.

Just two weeks ago, we had the entire cast of Napoleon Dynamite here.

Also met Johnny Knoxville, Snoop Dogg, Zach Galifianakis.

Quite a few people come through here.

- (Man With Hat) [testing microphone].

One, two, two, two.

Hey, hey, yeah, one, two, two, hey, hey, yeah.

(lazy music playing) (Photographer) Fantastic, go in for a kiss for me?

You can go ahead and kiss for me, perfect!

(Dalice) The craziest experience is being here during the day, 9:00 to 5:00, I walk in here every day, it's home.

And then, come nighttime, it's no longer my home, it's the community's.

(Todd) It's frenetic, it's hectic at times, probably more than you would like.

But it's fun, it's different world colliding all the time.

It's a kaleidoscope of sorts.

On a Friday, Saturday night, it's not uncommon to have 2,000 people come through our doors.

(Bar Patron) Pre-happy hour is, get a drink or two, getting ready for the night.

And then you go pregame, which is you get along with friends and get some drinks, then you go out and drink.

So hopefully you make it at least until midnight.

- Hey we got John, we got Bryan, Ron, all from Melbourne, Australia--Brisbane, sorry Brisbane.

Brisbane!

(Bacon lover) We had breakfast here, and it was awesome.

Breakfast is good, I love bacon and eggs so it was just a bunch of bacon and eggs.

- Keeping it simple with the bacon and eggs.

- Yeah, it's just keeping it simple with the bacon and eggs.

(Hannah) 91.3 FM, KXCI Tucson, wrapping up today's edition of the Homestretch you also have the brand new release from Nick Cave and the Bad Seed.

I'm Hannah Levin, I'm the host of the Homestretch here on KXCI.

Our studios are right here in the lobby of the Hotel Congress.

I've had to get used to being all right with my peripheral vision, because during certain times of year, I will be here and DJ-ing and all of a sudden I'll realize that I have a whole bank of white haired folks with their camera phones filming me But that is a very small price to pay for being this deeply connected right here in downtown.

(Pilot) So I used to live here, I knew about the hotel.

We flew in about an hour ago and just drove downtown we're looking for a place to stay and he found a good rate.

So here we are, checking in.

(David) It is a mission of mine to make sure a lot of different kind of people and things feel ownership here.

(gentle rock music playing) ♪ I passed a little wine store on the corner ♪ ♪ I pictured pink champagne by candlelight ♪ (David) In the inside stage we have one of our local phenoms, Gabe Sullivan doing a show.

Outside we have a swing concert by the Kings of Pleasure.

Dance party starting after each of those, quite a busy night.

[DRUMS DOING MIC TE] (Richard) You know who's played here, everyone from Bo Diddly to Wanda Jackson has played here.

Yayas to Yeyes or whatever, I don't even.

(Shana) He doesn't even know now, he goes, who's that?

(laughing) - But we still enjoy it.

(David) If you count the plaza musicians and the nonprofit events and the poetry readings and whatnot we counted 923 events we put on just last year.

And I think we've surpassed it this year.

(Singing) In other words, please be true.

In other words, I love you.

(Gabriel) I'm Gabriel Sullivan, from Tucson, Arizona mostly.

I play way too much music.

I remember my dad bringing me here when I was a kid.

I remember Al Perry working behind the desk and my dad telling me, that's one of the best songwriters in Tucson, Arizona.

And that stuck with me forever (laughs).

I started coming here when I was 18, They needed a busboy, turns out I had quite the skillset for that.

- Fernet?

- Fernet.

- Two Fernets, please.

(Gabriel) The dude playing outside, it's like a reunion show.

This band from the 90's, Kings of Pleasure, like the swing band that my parents used to go see.

Yeah?

It's the only dude that I ever got a guitar lesson from.

Is the guitar player from this band.

- And that just happened to be here tonight - Yeah.

(Band leader) For those of you who are seeing this show for the first time, you're seeing this show for the first time.

Tough crowd.

Lower you expectations, folks, the jokes get funny that way.

Max Gullio Valto Mambo.

(swing music playing) ♪ Singing ♪ Lying in the sun and having fun ♪ ♪ Singing ♪ Lying in the sun and having fun ♪ ♪ Oh, seagulls ♪ Seagulls are flying, crabs in the sand ♪ ♪ Lobster bisque ♪ ♪ In the sand ♪ ♪ Swing Music ♪ Swing Music ♪ Oh, seagulls (Cameron) Irish Red!

Kind of a big deal, coming up.

Guys, how you doing over there?

Single or double on that?

Do you have a gin preference?

Righty o that's coming right up for you.

My name is Cameron if you guys need another one just give me a holler.

How you doing?

Thanks you so much miss, have a great night.

Guys, I'll be right there for you.

Hanger 19, vodka big deal coming right on up.

Incindiore!

Do we have any rosemary down in that cooler?

(Riley) My name in Riley Lane, I'm the barback, I've been here 12 years.

These guys will sell like 4,000, 5,000 dollars in a four hour period.

To keep up with them, we have to just be on our toes the entire time.

(Cameron) Holy moly.

(Customer) Slightly dirty gin martini.

(Cameron) Slightly dirty as in Hillary Clinton or, very dirty as in Bill?

Hoo, knock my socks off.

Stay out of trouble, don't do anything I wouldn't do.

How are you guys doing today?

I can't complain yet.

♪ slow, melancholic music playing ♪ (Gabriel) Playing on that stage is just, it's always someone we trust.

Running the sound, it's just always someone we trust and love.

Welcoming us to the hotel, to the club.

♪ slow, melancholic music playing ♪ Sure there some bizarre things, there's really no green room there's a closet next to the stage, more or less (laughs).

It is what it is when you've grown up with it.

There's just something about playing here, it's homecoming.

- Thank you to Congress, thank you everybody here.

I've been Gabriel Sullivan we'll see you in a minute.

(cheering) (Birthday Boy) It's my birthday, we're here at Hotel Congress, we're having a good time, I don't know anybody here.

But I'm happy to be here.

(lady in crowd) It's your birthday!

(Birthday Boy #2) It's my birthday tonight (laughs).

- Happy birthday, yeah!

(Lady) I'm from Las Cruces, New Mexico.

We come to Tucson just to come to the Club Congress.

We're about to go to bed, I don't know if I'll-- We're going to bed, we're going upstairs (laughs).

Should that be on camera?

(upbeat drum music playing) (Clif) My name is Richard Oseran, and I am the owner of the Hotel Congress.

No, my name is Clif Taylor, (laughing).

I have a long association with the Hotel Congress I worked at the front desk, redesigned this place, I've spent 5 million hours here.

I started coming to Congress right when they first started bands and dance nights and stuff so, from the very beginning, really.

It's a myriad of changes, but it's not change, it's energy.

From being this soul and heart of downtown.

(fast, aggressive drum music playing) (Tom) Thank you for joining us on this special edition of Arizona Illustrated from the historic Hotel Congress.

Here's to the next 100 years and all that comes with it.

See you next time, cheers.