MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami-Dade County’s mayor gave the green light for entertainment venues to open Friday at noon. Not everyone was ready to open.
Local 10 went to the Regal South Beach cinema around noon but still a sign covered the door that read: “temporarily closed.” On Regal Cinemas' website of reopenings, the South Beach location was not listed. Its Broward County movie theaters in Plantation, Sunrise, Pembroke Pines, Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood were listed as open.
Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced at a news conference on Thursday that he would be signing an executive order that would allow movie theaters, concert houses, convention spaces, auditoriums, bowling alleys, arcades and indoor amusement facilities to open, which includes casinos.
Amendment 1 to EO 28-20 is now in effect, allowing theaters, concert halls, convention facilities & banquet halls to open with restrictions. Learn about these rules in our #NewNormal Handbook here: https://t.co/6LyMl6HEvL We're #MiamiDadeStrong as we open more businesses! pic.twitter.com/GFvli64AXP
— Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez (@MayorGimenez) September 18, 2020
People have been missing out on these entertainment activities since the pandemic shuttered so many businesses in March. The facilities can open, but only at 50 percent capacity, social distancing rules must be enforced and all patrons must wear masks.
We did reached out to Regal South Beach cinema to find out when they planned on reopening. We have not yet heard back.
While the businesses will have to adapt to the New Normal, it is good news for so many that have been out of work and who are employed at many of these venues.
How they are going to manage in the New Normal remains to be seen as Gimenez stressed that the virus has not gone away, that Miamians should not let their guard down, and the only way to ensure that the reopenings are a success is to proceed cautiously.
[RELATED: Download Miami-Dade County’s New Normal handbook]