When can SC entertainment venues reopen? Gov. McMaster hopes for announcement ‘soon’
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Thursday he hopes to make an announcement soon on when entertainment venues, including theaters and concert venues will be allowed to reopen.
Night clubs, bowling alleys, concert venues, theaters, auditoriums, performing arts centers, racetracks and adult entertainment venues are still awaiting clearance from the governor, who this week allowed tourist attractions and amusement parks to reopen to visitors starting this weekend.
McMaster closed those venues in April to slow the spread of the coronavirus, which has so far surpassed 9,300 positive cases in South Carolina and resulted in more than 400 deaths.
“Some of these venues take a little more thought than others, but we’re getting information,” McMaster told reporters Thursday. “We’re hoping to be making announcements soon.”
McMaster’s COVID-19 advisory group, Accelerate South Carolina, plans to meet Thursday to continue discussions about guidelines for businesses as they begin to reopen their doors to customers and more people begin to leave their houses.
As the daily count of positive virus cases has plateaued in the state, McMaster has lifted his work or stay home order and allowed inside dining at restaurants, gyms and nail and hair salons to reopen.
The task force has already drafted guidelines for theaters should McMaster lift restrictions for those venues.
Guidelines include allowing only 50% occupancy inside theaters, and requesting that live theater performers prepare for shows, including putting on wardrobe and makeup, at home rather than at the theater. The group also recommended that wardrobe changes during live shows be minimal and choreography include social distancing.
Sports venues also are waiting for the governor’s OK.
This month, the Darlington Raceway hosted its first NASCAR race without any fans in the stands.
The state’s epidemiologist Linda Bell told state senators this week that guidance for those types of events is still being worked on after she was asked whether a mass gathering of 70,000 people at a football stadium would be realistic.
“We are re-looking at ways to gather from how we previously have in the past.” Bell said. “Whether or not we sit in a football stadium, or a graduation ceremony, where we’re accustomed to sitting shoulder-to-shoulder, we’re looking at putting seats between people, ... space between people, making sure people wear masks. If we want to do this safely, we will be doing things like that differently than we have in the past.”
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 10:47 AM.
