For two decades, Corell Jones has been the one who asked about the most famous tree in New York-and where to find public baths.

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For two decades, Corell Jones has been the main greeter at the bustling square in Midtown Manhattan. The business card issued by his company reflects his identity: "CJ Mayor of Rockefeller Center."

Every winter, when countless tourists come to see the Christmas tree outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza, Mr. Jones basically becomes the janitor of the Christmas tree.

In New York City, doormen have traditionally played various roles from security to confidant. The 59-year-old Mr. Jones holds one of the most prestigious positions in the industry. From now until the beginning of January, when the tree falls, he will provide those who ask questions with all the details about it: this year’s version is a 79-foot Norwegian spruce from Maryland, decorated with 50,000 lights It weighs nearly half a ton with a star full of crystals.

If they asked further, he might tell them that the tree was almost 90 years old and had been cut down "at the end of its life."

On Wednesday, Mr. Jones told a visitor that he shuttled between workers who set up equipment for the annual tree lighting ceremony, "We will never kill a tree."

In addition to the tree problem, he kept making other requests: the route to the store, restaurant recommendations, and where is the most urgent bathroom? (He instructs those who request to go to the bathroom in the basement hall of 30 Rock.)

Mr. Jones works in the square like an experienced party host working in a room, moving around energetically.

"How is everyone?" He asked visitors on Wednesday. "How are you? Ladies, are you all right?"

Mr. Jones' nickname, CJ, is printed on the name tag pinned to his sharp gray suit, matching his hat and silver tie. His cartoon-"The Mayor of Rock and Roll"-complements the illustrations of agencies such as NBC, Rainbow Hall, and Rockets on the holiday map of Rockefeller Center.

This job allowed him to meet the president and appear in front of TV cameras, from the "Today" show to performances with Dan Aykroyd and dancing with Jimmy Fallon on the "Tonight Show."

"He's not just a doorman, or even a welcome person," said Pedro Francisco, a concierge in the 30 Rock lobby. "His personality is shown here-he is part of the Rockefeller Center structure."

Mr. Francisco said that Mr. Jones knows most of the outstanding people who work at the NBC studio, including shows like "30 Rock" and "Saturday Night Live".

Mr. Francisco said: “He knows all the promoters and influencers who work here, celebrities, business giants, people on the'Today' show.” “Because of his personality and because he is sure of what is happening, so They all stopped to oppose him."

Mr. Jones said that famous paintbrushes are great, but so are newspaper clippings collected from trees and distributed to the crowd every winter. No matter who he meets at work, his partner Evelyn will keep him humble.

"I never thought about this job," he said, "because when I got home, she said,'You may be the mayor of Rockefeller Center, but when you get home, you are just CJ'"

Mr. Jones is a lifelong resident of Brooklyn and now lives in Flatbush. He said that he grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community and was eager to get into politics, but he avoided it because “it’s a dirty Industry".

"That never worked," he said. "But to a certain extent it is true, because now I am the mayor of this place."

Mr. Jones graduated from the New York Institute of Printing in Manhattan (now known as the Graphic Communication Arts High School) and worked briefly in a commercial printing company.

"I can't suck in the ink under my nails," he said, "so I resigned."

He took a job as a security guard at the Peninsula Hotel, then transferred to the coat inspection room of the New York University Club and was promoted to guard.

After 20 years in the club, one of its members, Rob Speyer, CEO of Tishman Speyer, which owns Rockefeller Center, asked Mr. Jones if he would work there. Mr. Jones initially refused.

"I rejected the job because I don't want to be locked behind a desk," he said. "But when they told me I would greet people outside, I knew I had to accept it."

"The hospitality industry is more suitable for my personality," he said.

As an avid sports fan, Mr. Jones said he paid his dues as a supporter of the often struggling Mets and Jets. Once a fan of the Knicks, he has turned allegiance to the Brooklyn Nets because their home Barclays Center is near him.

Mr. Jones has a daughter and two granddaughters, one is 11 months old and the other is 7 months old. He said that the girls took up most of his free time.

"My weekends are spent doing things that Mrs. needs me to do and spending quality time with my grandchildren," he said.

After the coronavirus pandemic suppressed turnout last year and forced the lighting ceremony to be closed to the public, Mr. Jones called the holiday particularly sweet.

He said: "During the pandemic last year, only me and the pigeons were here-this is a ghost town." "But tourists are coming back. Many New Yorkers complain about the crowding, but they don't realize how dependent the city is on tourists. We are. Take them for granted. We must all share this big city."

He kept jumping from one group of tourists to the next, and it was difficult for him to keep up.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but as the mayor, you have to be conspicuous."

He told a lady who asked about the Lego store that it had moved from the square to Fifth Avenue and 51st Street.

"Where is the huge candlestick?" a woman asked through a mask. Mr. Jones directed her to walk along Fifth Avenue towards 59th Street.

When Maribel Abreu from North Carolina asked her family where they could watch the tree lights, Mr. Jones suggested that they rest for a few hours before heading to the 50th Street entrance of the square.

Then he jokingly blocked the flow of passersby so that she could take a family portrait. Ms. Abreu also pulled him into the photo.

Neil Lawner, a photographer from Manhattan, stopped to say hello.

"He is a great spokesperson for this place because he is very nice to people," Mr. Launer said of Mr. Jones.

Nicole Nieves and her grandmother Abby Nieves visited them from Montclair, New Jersey, and they asked Mr. Jones for free postcards from Rockefeller Center every year.

He trot to the 30 Rock lobby to replenish his supplies, and soon returned with their cards. He said that he usually distributes up to 40,000 per holiday.

"I got the best job in the world," he said. "I have met people from more than 100 countries. Many of them will come back in a few years and thank me for sending them to some restaurants or shops. It makes me feel good."