No spectators at The American Express means another blow to nearby businesses

The much-anticipated American Express golf tournament wrapped up at PGA West in La Quinta. The tournament kicked off on Wednesday, but with a stark difference than years past. Spectators are known to flock to the Coachella Valley to witness some of the sport's biggest names, but this year spectators were not part of the mix.

In November organizers announced the scaled down sporting event, saying "with deadlines approaching tied into the operational logistics of running The American Express, conducting the 2021 event with ticketed spectators was not a feasible option given the current health climate in California."

Less crowds coming to the desert meant a severely diminished clientele this time of year for nearby restaurants and businesses.

"Quite a few. We get them every year and there’s people that repeat every year. The pro golfers, the caddies, the marshals out there, we get them all," said La Quinta's Stuft Pizza General Manager, Ryan Guy.

Guy said that during usually during this weekend, they experience a 25% spike in sales when the entire restaurant is open.

"Compared to last year it’s quite a bit down, you can see an uptick in business this weekend. I think a lot of the homeowners are sticking around and having guests in- a little busier than normal weekend," said Guy.

Guy said all things considered, business is okay.

Now that the state-mandated stay-at-home order is in effect, offering takeout is their only option.

"Our takeout has really carried us though," said Guy.

The Palms Cafe in La Quinta also experienced a similar situation the weekend of the big sporting event.

"At least 80 percent down as regular sales that we used to have last year," said The Palms Cafe co-owner, Efrain Mendoza.

The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offers breakfast and lunch.

"Last year exactly about this time it was very, very busy," said Mendoza.

Mendoza added that this is the season that restaurants rely on, while temperatures are cooler and there are generally more people in the valley.

"The season until April or May. That’s the peak of business," said Mendoza.

The 5-day tournament added to the list of lost revenue that businesses bank on. With the pandemic approaching the one-year mark, the future remains uncertain.

"We’re just playing it by ear, we can’t get our hopes up because we have no idea," said Guy.