Theme Parks Consider Suing CA Gov. Newsom Over COVID Guidelines
By Jessilyn Lancaster, Managing Editor
Representatives from California’s theme parks are considering taking legal action against California Gov. Gavin Newsom over his reopening guidelines in the wake of the COVID-19 virus.
“All options are open at this point. Our No. 1 goal is to be allowed to reopen. At this point, any option is viable,” said California Attractions and Parks Association Executive Director Erin Guerrero.
The press conference came after California’s director of health and human services, Dr. Mark Ghaly, handed down “unworkable” guidelines for reopening.
The announcement infuriated park operations executives.
“We have proven that we can responsibly reopen, with science-based health and safety protocols strictly enforced at our theme park properties around the world. Nevertheless, the State of California continues to ignore this fact, instead mandating arbitrary guidelines that it knows are unworkable and that hold us to a standard vastly different from other reopened businesses and state-operated facilities,” Disneyland Resort president Ken Potrock said in a statement.
Guerrero also blasted California’s governor’s guidelines.
“To say today’s announcement on theme parks is disappointing would be a grave understatement. The Governor has not used science or data to inform his decision. Theme parks have opened and operated safely around the world for months. Data and science prove that theme parks can operate responsibly anywhere – there is no rational reason to believe they can’t do so in California,” she said.
“No one cares more about park employee and guest safety than the parks themselves. While we appreciate the more nuanced approach in the guidance for smaller theme parks, keeping California’s larger parks closed is unfair and unreasonable. Based on the responsible reopening of parks in other countries and states, science and data do not support the indefinite closure of this iconic industry in California,” Guerrero continued.
The theme park announcement comes after Newsom issued absurd guidelines for the upcoming holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“We are entering into the holidays, but also we’re entering into part of the year where things cool down and people are more likely to congregate back indoors in settings that put their physical proximity and likelihood of transmission and transmitting disease at higher risk,” Newsome said.
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