The Broadmoor closes restaurant dining rooms after KRDO investigation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Broadmoor hotel has shut down its dining rooms after a NewsChannel 13 investigation revealed the hotel was continuing to allow the public to dine inside restaurants despite a state public health order not to do so.

The El Paso County Health Department confirms it visited The Broadmoor on Tuesday after KRDO began investigating the resorts' compliance with the order.

A spokesperson for The Broadmoor told KRDO on Wednesday the hotel is now in compliance with the health order. The spokesperson added that The Broadmoor received initial guidance from the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association that it was allowed to open its restaurants.

The spokesperson said it received clarification on the order on Tuesday afternoon and followed the directive from the governor.

The President of the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association tells KRDO the organization "did inadvertently provide erroneous information that said that restaurants in hotels could keep operating under the Governor's order. When we received the implementation order from CDPHE yesterday and further reviewed the Governor's order, we immediately notified the membership with the attached email that the original email was incorrect and all restaurants can only serve to-go and room service."

CHLA added that it apologizes for the confusion caused by its original guidance and will continue to ensure its members throughout the state are complying with all orders and requirements.

The Broadmoor is allowed to continue room service orders.

When we asked the El Paso County Health Department how it intended to enforce the health order, KRDO was told that the agency is working with the state to educate all restaurant management so they're aware of the order's requirements.

The state told us Tuesday that enforcement would happen at the county level. NewsChannel 13 asked the state for clarification on enforcement.

We received this response Wednesday evening:

"We recognize that this is an enormous sacrifice for businesses and employees. Please know that state, local and federal leaders are working hard to make resources available to help small businesses through this difficult time.

Compliance is CRITICAL to a community’s ability to make it through this crisis. If we don’t take these steps now, our communities could face much more extreme outcomes for a much longer period of time. We are asking businesses to voluntarily comply. However, please know that counties and local public health agencies have the authority to enforce the order.

If a business is not complying, local law enforcement and/or the local public health agency may contact them to encourage them to voluntarily comply. If the problem continues, they could face civil or criminal action for a violation of the public health order. "

The state order says failure to comply with the public health order could result in as much as a $1,000 fine and one year in county jail.