The Board Room Sports Loft & Bar opens January 1 inside the historic First Hittinger Block on Congress Street. The tri-level venue expands the legacy of a building long tied to nightlife and spirits. Now, the space introduces a high-capacity sports bar built for communal viewing and downtown energy.
A Historic Building, Reimagined
The Board Room occupies the same building as Batch, with a new entrance at 120 E. Congress St. Ronnie Spece, who owns the business with his wife Christian Spece, said the vacant office space demanded a different approach.
“When the former (corporate office) tenant vacated the space, we needed to activate it and definitely didn’t want to continue with it full of cubicles,” he said.
Instead, the team envisioned a sports-driven gathering place downtown lacked.
“When brainstorming what to do with the second floor, we felt there was room in Tucson for more places to watch sports,” he said.
Built for Big Games
The second-floor loft delivers the venue’s visual impact. With more than 3,000 square feet and 20-foot ceilings, the room centers on scale. The bar features a 40-foot custom alder wood bar top. Behind it, a 160-inch LED video wall anchors the space. Two 98-inch screens flank the wall, creating one of Tucson’s largest game-viewing setups.
“With 20 foot ceilings, it gave us plenty of wall space for screens, so we thought why not put a huge one up,” Ronnie said.
Food, Drinks, and Games
The Board Room pairs sports with approachable food and drinks. The menu includes beer, a full bar, simple cocktails, and snack-focused dishes such as snack boards and sliders.
The name reflects both gameplay and history; snack boards, flight boards, and dart boards appear throughout the space. Meanwhile, the concept nods to the building’s corporate past.
A Community-Focused Timeline
It took about nine months from demo to completion, Ronnie said. Throughout the process, they prioritized community use with over 3,000 square feet.
Grand Opening Weekend
The Board Room opens January 1 with a multi-day grand opening celebration. Events include New Year’s Day festivities, University of Arizona watch parties, and NFL games. The bar plans extended hours throughout opening weekend.
For more information, visit theboardroomtucson.com.
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Article written by:
Jackie Tran
More about JackieJackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer, photographer, culinary educator, and owner-chef of the now-closed food truck Tran’s Fats. Although he is best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.
An adventurous foodie, he enjoys culinary experiences ranging from seasonal omakase to sloppily devouring green chili patty melts in his car afterhours. His favorite foods include aguachile, garlic noodles, and leftover fried chicken illuminated by the fridge light. His favorite drinks include morning micheladas, fireside imperial stouts, candle-lit negroni, and grassy mezcales.
Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments, karaoke, Tetris, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and petting Addie’s dog Spaghetti.
If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.
