Suburban Hilton cited after wedding with 150 guests

Cook County health officials announced Friday that formal citations were issued to a Northbrook-area hotel following a large gathering thisweekanda subsequent inspection of the facilities.

A large, mostly maskless wedding event with about 150 guests was held at the Hilton Chicago/ Northbrook Hotel Wednesday night, violating the state’s gathering limits aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus. Footage fromthe event first reported by CBS 2 showed crowded rooms full of people hugging, eating, drinking and talking in close proximity.

“The hotel, restaurant, bride, groom, caterer and guestswere all reckless and irresponsible,” Dr. Rachel Rubin, a Cook County Department of Public Health senior medial officer and co-lead, said in a Friday news release. “This event was in violation of the current COVID-19 mitigation order and should not have taken place.”

The Cook County health department announced the formal citations Friday, after Rubin said one day earlier that the department was investigating and discussing legal options.

The citations issued included a facility order to disperse for non-compliance with the the county health department’s COVID-19 mitigation order, aswell as a facility notice of non-compliance for not following the Illinois Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 regulations.

Both were based on observed violations that were identified in photos and videos captured on the evening of thewedding, aswell as observed violations made by county health officials during an inspection the following day, officials said.

“I sincerely hope no one becomes sick or dies as a result of this event,” Rubin said in thenewsrelease. “All who were in attendance should quarantine for a minimumof 10 days andget tested to keep from spreading COVID to the greater community.”

According to the health department, the notices serve as a warning to the facility while the county’s attorneys continue to review evidence to determine next steps. If officials decide to cite the hotel under Cook County municipal code, “the hotel and restaurant would need to appear in court, and if found guilty, penalties could include arrest, a fine of $1,000 per offense, and further actions.”

During a news conference Thursday, Rubin said the notices of violation would be issued to the hotel and other possible organizations involved, such as catering or wedding planning companies, rather than individuals at thewedding.

Newsof the event caught the attention of local, county and state officials Thursday. When asked about the event during his coronavirus briefing in Chicago, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said he’s concerned for the people who attended the wedding and the people they may go on to infect, as COVID-19 runs “rampant” throughout the state.

The wedding occurred on the same day Illinois public health officials reported9,757newconfirmed and probable COVID-19 cases and 238 COVID-19 deaths, the most deaths in a single day since the pandemic began.

The hotel released a statement of apology in which general manager Holly Allgauer-Cir said the pandemic has created challenges for the hospitality industry but that their hope “to keep the hotel afloat and employees working should not outweigh health and safety.”

“While the event was booked prior to the implementation of the state’s latest mitigation measures, we sincerely regret allowing this gathering to proceed and our family apologizes to our guests, employees, and the Chicagoland community,” Allgauer-Cir said.

In Rubin’s news conference Thursday, she said she views the wedding as a “potential super-spreader” event.

Thehealthdepartmentis requesting a guest list from the wedding party, Rubin said. They will either reach out to the individuals directly or communicate through the wedding party that those in attendance should quarantine. She said the department will not contact trace unless someone tests positive, but if someone does test positive, they would then be able to reference the guest list or the event to find close contacts.

The hotel, 2855 Milwaukee Ave., has a Northbrook address and ZIP code, but it falls under the jurisdiction of nearby ProspectHeights, according to Prospect Heights City Administrator JoeWade.

Wade said the event was not initially reported to local police at the time, but they followed up with further investigation.

The city issued a violation notice of its own on Thursday. The notice served as a “written warning of failing to follow the Tier 3 Mitigation Measures” that went into effect Nov. 20.

“As a business owner, it is your responsibility to adhere to the Tier 3 Mitigation Guidelines and reduce the potential for COVID-19 exposure to your guests, employees and their families,” Wade wrote in the official notice.

If the establishment refuses to comply with public health guidance moving forward, they’re subject to a fine ranging from $75 to $2,500 and can be charged with amisdemeanor.