I-Drive attraction operators seek reopening
Business leaders say they can offer guests similar safety capabilities as those at restaurants, stores
Operators of the Wheel at ICON Park, Fun Spot America and other smaller Orlando attractions are pleading for Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings’ help in seeking approval to reopen their gates ahead of their larger counterparts, Disney and Universal, which also remain closed.
At least seven groups affiliated with such attractions told the mayor in a series of letters on
Wednesday that Gov. Ron DeSantis should include them in Phase 2 of the governor’s plan to reopen Florida’s largely tourism-dependent economy. The businesses are arguing that they can usher in guests safely at a smaller capacity as restaurants and stores are now doing in the second week of what DeSantis is calling Phase 1 of the state’s reopening.
Maria Triscari, the CEO of the International Drive Chamber of Commerce, which represents the businesses along the tourist corridor, said she’s concerned DeSantis is counting the attractions the same category as Disney and Universal when they share more similarities with the retail and restaurant operations already allowed to reopen.
“As you know, large theme parks are a very different business model than the smaller attractions,” she wrote in a letter to Demings. “They have much lower attendance, employee base, building size and or capacity …”
Demings said Wednesday afternoon that he would have his reopening task force review the requests from the attractions.
“We haven’t had a chance to really look at what they’re recommending,” Demings said. “It can’t just be an emotional argument based on the economics … it has to be balanced with the health care data as well.”
On Thursday, Universal CityWalk will begin opening a portion of its restaurants and retail stores with new sanitation protocols in place.
Dr. Raul Pino, the director of Florida’s Health Department in Orange, said during an afternoon briefing that he visited CityWalk on Wednesday morning. He noted steps Universal has taken to cut down on potential virus transmission such as printing disposable restaurant menus, enhanced signs pointing toward restrooms to encourage hand-washing and even new staff positions that will monitor guests behavior and offer friendly reminders to practice social distancing and hygiene.
“They have really thought out the process,” Pino said. “We went there to learn.”
But he also noted the number of handrails and other common surfaces at CityWalk and the other
theme park complexes that are frequently touched by guests.
“So there is some work to do,” he said.
Pino also noted that Orange reported 16 new confirmed cases of the virus on Wednesday, bringing the total to 1,553, and one new death, the county’s 36th — an 80-year-old woman who died May 11.
Orange also saw its highest positive rate on virus tests on any single day in the past two weeks, 3.6% on Wednesday or more than double the the next highest day over the last week. But, Pino said the figure was likely just a “blip.” He said three days of increasing numbers would cause him to become more concerned about the potential start of another wave of the pandemic.
“Isolated by itself, it means nothing,” he said.
The cumulative rate of tests coming back with positive results in Orange County dipped to 3.9%.
Those numbers are just some of the metrics local and state officials are looking at as they decide when certain businesses can reopen.
Ritchie Armstrong who owns the Orlando Starflyer, is one of those who said he would add new protocols such as checking the temperatures of all employees and requiring them to wear masks. Ritchie said his business is outdoors, and passengers are seated on the ride in pairs, 20 feet apart from other riders.
“Our business is not a large theme park and we are concerned that we are being categorized by Governor DeSantis in the large theme park business model,” he wrote. “Our business is much smaller in size, attendance, capacity and employee base and should be categorized more in line with retail malls and restaurants…”
Members of Demings’ task force also heard from a pair of gym owners who also asked for the chance to reopen.
Michael Berry, who owns Pure Energy Fitness & Energy, and Dave Knepper, owner of Iron Core Gym in Ocoee, questioned why fitness centers can’t operate citing health benefits associated with exercise.
“Private gyms and fitness centers can control access and cleanliness, larger gyms do not have the staff to clean after each member the same way a smaller facility can,” Berry wrote. “If we can clearly keep a cleaner and safer environment why are we not allowed to open when hair and nail salons have a closer contact for a longer duration of time?”
Pino said he remains concerned about gyms because of the number of common surfaces that are touched and amenities such as saunas and swimming pools.
“I know people are very eager to exercise in the gym, but that’s a place…where I would have some concerns,” he said. “They will need a little more other measures in place.”
Dan Wilcox, a task force member and CEO of the local YMCA, said some gyms may limit capacity by requiring reservations, and will clean more often.