LA County Supports Less Strict Threshold For Disneyland, Other Theme Parks To Reopen
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors went on record Tuesday in support of Assembly Bill 420, which would allow Disneyland, Six Flags Magic Mountain and other theme parks to reopen ahead of the current California guidelines.
Under Assembly Bill 420, sponsored by Sharon Quirk Silva (D-Buena Park) and Suzette Valladares (R-Santa Clarita) – two districts hit hard by the closures of Disneyland and Six Flags – all theme parks would be placed in the "orange/moderate" tier under Gov. Gavin Newsom's reopening plan.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger recommended that the board back the bipartisan bill. Earlier this month, Barger sent a letter of support to the bill's sponsors.
"With full outdoor operations and the ability to maintain physical distancing, theme parks across the country have proven that they can safely reopen," Barger wrote. "Large theme parks nationwide began reopening last summer and there (have) not yet been any outbreaks or spread from these establishments."
Barger said that densely populated counties such as Los Angeles would have a very difficult time meeting the minimal risk tier criteria of less than one daily case of COVID per 100,000 residents and a test positivity rate of less than 2%, which she said was unwarranted.
She cited a Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation report that the amusement, gambling, and recreation sector has experienced the highest percentage of job losses in the county, with more than 98% of jobs lost in the earliest months of the pandemic.
Most of those impacted are low-income workers with an average salary of $32,000 per year, according to the LAEDC study.
Under AB 420, theme parks and indoor dining locations would be allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.
The board's vote was unanimous.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Disneyland officials released details of a mini opening of the theme park in Anaheim next month in a limited-capacity ticketed event called "A Touch of Disney."
After Disneyland, Magic Mountain and Knott's Berry Farm were all closed in March 2020, revised state guidance in December opened the door for smaller theme parks to reopen under the orange level.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)