As some businesses prep for gameday tailgates, others will pass

MADISON (WKOW) -- Badger game day on Regent Street usually means one thing: tailgates.

For Samuel Brown of Rocky Rococo Pizza and Pasta, Friday's game day will just be another day.

"It's a question about customer safety and it's a question about my employees' safety, and we have to prioritize that," said Brown.

Brown decided against hosting tailgates in the parking lot because of the pandemic.

Although he chose not to, other businesses along Regent Street have been working with public health officials to make sure their tailgates are within public health guidelines.

"We have tried to be proactive in working with establishments in that Regent Street area around Camp Randall," said Kate Austin, Director of Operations for Public Health Madison & Dane County. "All of that said, there will be a team performing compliance checks."

Brett Best, co-founder of Sweet Home Wisconsin, says he's prepared for public health and the fire department to visit during Friday's tailgate.

"I've been very impressed with the city, to be honest. They've done a good job with gathering all the restaurants on this street and putting the expectations down," said Best.

Sweet Home Wisconsin, like other restaurants, can only allow 25 percent indoor capacity. Meanwhile, their outdoor beer garden can have full capacity, but they have to enforce social distancing.

Best estimates they will be able to fit 40-50 people outside, and they will equip the beer garden with heaters and TVs to watch the game.

While Rocky Rococo sits this one out, Brown says he does not begrudge his competitors on the block.

"It's a very rough year to be in the restaurant industry," said Best. "I'm glad that the city has allowed them to conduct some sort of socially distant, safe tailgate this year. We just felt we didn't want to do that."

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