OFFICIALS MAY TAKE UP BARRYMORE’S CAUSE
Owner: Losses for venue could be ‘millions of dollars’
Clinton Township officials are urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to relax state restrictions on entertainment facilities and allow a local amusement park to open because of the limited time frame for its to operate.
C.J. Barrymore’s family entertainment center, a 25-acre amusement facility on Hall Road, partially reopened Friday for the first time this season following the coronavirus pandemic that forced the closure of many businesses this past March.
Owner Rick Iceberg says some of the facility’s features such as the restaurant, batting cages, mini golf course and a new chicken wing food truck opened Friday. But but the governor’s executive order on amusement park restrictions prevent the remainder from operating, including the bowling alley, laser tag and indoor arcade.
He said the center stands to lose “millions of dollars” this year due to the continued closure.
“We need some help,” Iceberg said. “With the weather in Michigan, we really only have eight to nine weeks for our summer season. And by keeping much of our operation shut down, it’s hurting us big-time.”
To that end, the Clinton Township Board of Trustees will consider a resolution calling on the governor to allow Barrymore’s and several other businesses to open with the recommended safety measures other companies have implemented such as social distancing guidelines.
Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon acknowledges the resolution carries no legal weight, but he hopes if the township’s Board of Trustees adopts the resolution at Monday night’s meeting that it may convince the governor’s office to see public support for the reopening.
“These businesses are hurting, no question about it,” he said. “Some, like C.J. Barrymore’s, hire a lot of high school and college kids for the summer. This shutdown has had farreaching economic consequences.”
State Rep. Bill Sowerby, a Clinton Township Democrat who formerly served as township treasurer, personally delivered a detailed proposed safety plan prepared by C.J. Barrymore’s to reopen that could be utilized by any business.
Others named in the township resolution include Partridge Creek Digital Cinema 14, AMC Star Gratiot, Total Axe and Macomb Center for the Performing Arts.
While the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Michigan have been trending downward in recent weeks, there has been an uptick in the past few days. Nationally, there has been a surge of new confirmed cases, especially in southern states.
On Friday, state health officials added 389 new cases in Michigan, a record high for June. That brings the state’s total caseload of confirmed infections to 69,329, along with 6,134 fatalities.
Whitmer has defended keeping some businesses closed because of the close physical contact some include. The highly contagious disease impacts the respiratory system.
At C.J. Barrymore’s, park manager David Dalpizzol says the management has developed an extensive list of protocols designed to emphasize social distancing and cleanliness to keep customers and the staff safe.
They include having people stand six feet apart while in line for a ride. Roller coasters will have empty rows, the drop tower will have empty seats. For laser tag, participants may be limited to a handful instead of 20 people.
All rides, including gocarts, will be sanitized and at the mini golf course, putters and golf balls will be soaked in disinfectant between uses.
At the restaurant, there will no dine-in service, only carryout. Outdoor dining areas will have tables spaced apart and sprayed with disinfectant after every use.
“We converted our food platform into an entirely outdoor feature,” Dalpizzol said. “You place your order and beverage, sit down and we’ll text you when it’s ready and you’re good to enjoy some food.”
New to the complex this year is Wings & Beer, a food truck featuring chicken wings, coleslaw, potato salad, soda pop, Gatorade and cold beer. The wings are coated with dry rub seasoning and fireroasted in a smoker.
Dalpizzol said 2019 was a record year for C.J. Barrymore’s, largely driven by food and beverage sales. That’s one of the reasons the complex added the food truck.
“We could hardly keep up with the food, so we added a new, outdoor cooker not knowing the virus would push everyone outside anyway,” he said.