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Evacuees from the Hotel Jerome spent several hours in the Rio Grande meeting room after the downtown core of Aspen was evacuated due to bomb threats at local banks on New Year’s Eve.
ASPEN — This was not how Aspen planned to ring in the new year.
Aspen’s downtown core was nearly silent for New Year’s Eve after a series of bomb threats prompted law enforcement officials to close a 16-block perimeter, meaning no restaurants, bars or nightclubs were able to hold their usual celebrations.
“It’s the biggest night of the year by a magnitude of three,” said David Elssweig, general manager of Campo de Fiore. “It’s devastating for every restaurant that’s closed.”
It all started relatively quietly at Aspen’s banks, until just after 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Outside Wells Fargo bank, Community Safety Supervisor Gretchen Born cordoned off the intersection with yellow tape, and instructed pedestrians to stay on the opposite side of the street. Outside Vectra Bank, the same thing was happening.
Across the street from Wells Fargo, 18-year-old Will Bertron and 25-year-old Elizabeth Rogers, both of Houston, stood on the street corner, watching the commotion wondering if someone had robbed a bank or made a bomb threat.
Soon, authorities brought in Roaring Fork Transportation Authority buses to block access into the Aspen core, and used a reverse 911 call to evacuate businesses throughout town.
Storekeepers along Mill Street and Hyman Avenue said they had been doing a brisk business until they were told to close.
“I mean, it’s New Year’s Eve, everyone’s shopping,” said Tineyi Dube of Fendi, which had to turn shoppers away as staff were trying to exit the store.
Linda Guterman, at linen store Frette, concurred.
“We were thrilled,” she said of the afternoon’s business — until staff had to begin shooing customers out.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Katie Howlin was upset to learn that she wouldn’t be able to get to her hair and nails appointment at the Queen B salon with “Rita, who’s amazing.”
“I’ve been trying to get in with her and if I miss it, I’m going to be really upset,” she said, half-joking.
At the Cantina restaurant, owner Darren Chapple forgave all his customers’ bills and sent them out the door, after receiving the evacuation call.
“Some of my employees have actually sketched out about being here. I couldn’t hold them against their own will, so I let them check out, and if I have no employees to take care of my customers, I’ll have to let them [the customers] go and close the restaurant,” he said.
At the Crystal Palace Grille, a note on the door said: “We will meet here after the bomb threat.”
Inside, the tables were set, and black-and-white streamers hung from the ceiling. A ladder stood in the middle of the dining room.
Elsewhere, the staff of American National Bank evacuated to the Jerome Bar after being told to leave their bank about 3 p.m. By 4:45 p.m., the group was still gathered at a table, waiting to be allowed back close everything up and run transactions, they said. In the meantime, Branch President Aaron Pearlman was buying the refreshments.
Shortly thereafter, the Jerome Bar was evacuated as well.
“They said, basically, there’s a bomb threat, and no one’s at any risk, but please leave the building, you’d be in danger if any bombs started going off,” said Denver resident Ken Gold, who had been having a drink at the bar.
By early evening, Denny Ives, a 35-year-old Aspen resident and Crystal Palace server, stood outside the restaurant, looking in hopefully.
The restaurant had New Year’s Eve reservations for 186 people, he said, and Ives had expected to make between $200 and $300 in tips.
Nearby, the staff at Campo de Fiore said they were expecting more than 200 guests to ring in the new year. The restaurant has been booked for a month, said general manager David Elssweig.
The night represents 15 percent of December revenue for the restaurant, he estimated.
At 6:15 p.m., the group was sure their first seating wouldn’t happen, but they were still hoping to fit in a 9 p.m. seating. They had been decorating since 9 a.m., they said.
By 6:30 p.m., authorities began evacuating the entire 16-block radius. New Yorker Monica Martin, leaving Bad Billy’s restaurant and bar, was surprised by the turn of events.
“I live in New York, but this is Aspen. It’s not supposed to happen here,” she said.
Harry Aubrey De-Lavenu, 44, of Portugal, said he tried going to three different restaurants in Aspen’s core. Each time he ordered a drink and sat down, he then was ordered by authorities to leave.
“The last one I went into, I just ordered a shot of Jack Daniels and drank it,” he said.
This was after he was asked to evacuate the Hotel Jerome by way of alarms and the announcement of a “routine evacuation.” It later re-opened.
By 10 p.m., Rob Ittner, owner of Rustique Bistro, had let his staff go. He had kept his staff on call for about four hours, after the restaurant was forced to close at 5:30 p.m., he said. Finally, he gave up on what is usually the restaurant’s biggest revenue night, he said.
Still, outside the town core, revelers were not deterred. Establishments such as the J Bar, the Hyatt Grand Aspen and the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse were packed.
“All of a sudden, Aspen can’t be elite or populist,” said Aspenite Leon Fell, 60. “Now there’s not a party with a ticket for $500. They all have to mingle together because they don’t have an expensive party to go to.”
Aspen’s downtown core was nearly silent for New Year’s Eve after a series of bomb threats prompted law enforcement officials to close a 16-block perimeter, meaning no restaurants, bars or nightclubs were able to hold their usual celebrations.
“It’s the biggest night of the year by a magnitude of three,” said David Elssweig, general manager of Campo de Fiore. “It’s devastating for every restaurant that’s closed.”
It all started relatively quietly at Aspen’s banks, until just after 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Outside Wells Fargo bank, Community Safety Supervisor Gretchen Born cordoned off the intersection with yellow tape, and instructed pedestrians to stay on the opposite side of the street. Outside Vectra Bank, the same thing was happening.
Across the street from Wells Fargo, 18-year-old Will Bertron and 25-year-old Elizabeth Rogers, both of Houston, stood on the street corner, watching the commotion wondering if someone had robbed a bank or made a bomb threat.
Soon, authorities brought in Roaring Fork Transportation Authority buses to block access into the Aspen core, and used a reverse 911 call to evacuate businesses throughout town.
Storekeepers along Mill Street and Hyman Avenue said they had been doing a brisk business until they were told to close.
“I mean, it’s New Year’s Eve, everyone’s shopping,” said Tineyi Dube of Fendi, which had to turn shoppers away as staff were trying to exit the store.
Linda Guterman, at linen store Frette, concurred.
“We were thrilled,” she said of the afternoon’s business — until staff had to begin shooing customers out.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Katie Howlin was upset to learn that she wouldn’t be able to get to her hair and nails appointment at the Queen B salon with “Rita, who’s amazing.”
“I’ve been trying to get in with her and if I miss it, I’m going to be really upset,” she said, half-joking.
At the Cantina restaurant, owner Darren Chapple forgave all his customers’ bills and sent them out the door, after receiving the evacuation call.
“Some of my employees have actually sketched out about being here. I couldn’t hold them against their own will, so I let them check out, and if I have no employees to take care of my customers, I’ll have to let them [the customers] go and close the restaurant,” he said.
At the Crystal Palace Grille, a note on the door said: “We will meet here after the bomb threat.”
Inside, the tables were set, and black-and-white streamers hung from the ceiling. A ladder stood in the middle of the dining room.
Elsewhere, the staff of American National Bank evacuated to the Jerome Bar after being told to leave their bank about 3 p.m. By 4:45 p.m., the group was still gathered at a table, waiting to be allowed back close everything up and run transactions, they said. In the meantime, Branch President Aaron Pearlman was buying the refreshments.
Shortly thereafter, the Jerome Bar was evacuated as well.
“They said, basically, there’s a bomb threat, and no one’s at any risk, but please leave the building, you’d be in danger if any bombs started going off,” said Denver resident Ken Gold, who had been having a drink at the bar.
By early evening, Denny Ives, a 35-year-old Aspen resident and Crystal Palace server, stood outside the restaurant, looking in hopefully.
The restaurant had New Year’s Eve reservations for 186 people, he said, and Ives had expected to make between $200 and $300 in tips.
Nearby, the staff at Campo de Fiore said they were expecting more than 200 guests to ring in the new year. The restaurant has been booked for a month, said general manager David Elssweig.
The night represents 15 percent of December revenue for the restaurant, he estimated.
At 6:15 p.m., the group was sure their first seating wouldn’t happen, but they were still hoping to fit in a 9 p.m. seating. They had been decorating since 9 a.m., they said.
By 6:30 p.m., authorities began evacuating the entire 16-block radius. New Yorker Monica Martin, leaving Bad Billy’s restaurant and bar, was surprised by the turn of events.
“I live in New York, but this is Aspen. It’s not supposed to happen here,” she said.
Harry Aubrey De-Lavenu, 44, of Portugal, said he tried going to three different restaurants in Aspen’s core. Each time he ordered a drink and sat down, he then was ordered by authorities to leave.
“The last one I went into, I just ordered a shot of Jack Daniels and drank it,” he said.
This was after he was asked to evacuate the Hotel Jerome by way of alarms and the announcement of a “routine evacuation.” It later re-opened.
By 10 p.m., Rob Ittner, owner of Rustique Bistro, had let his staff go. He had kept his staff on call for about four hours, after the restaurant was forced to close at 5:30 p.m., he said. Finally, he gave up on what is usually the restaurant’s biggest revenue night, he said.
Still, outside the town core, revelers were not deterred. Establishments such as the J Bar, the Hyatt Grand Aspen and the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse were packed.
“All of a sudden, Aspen can’t be elite or populist,” said Aspenite Leon Fell, 60. “Now there’s not a party with a ticket for $500. They all have to mingle together because they don’t have an expensive party to go to.”
Staff writer John Colson contributed to this report.
kredding@aspentimes.com
kredding@aspentimes.com
