What to know
- Gov. Andrew Cuomo launched a pilot with the Buffalo Bills to host fans at two playoff games in January; they had to prove a negative test and adhere to certain rules in the stadium
- Cuomo said that effort is an “unparalleled success” and said on Wednesday that other major arenas and venues in New York could reopen to the public starting Feb. 23 with testing and other requirements.
- The governor has said for months that testing is the key to faster reopening of entertainment, offices and more before vaccination reaches critical mass; he says NY can’t stay closed that long
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that he will expand the test-based program to any major stadium or arena later this month. The New York State demonstration with the Buffalo Bills is an “unparalleled success”.
Fans who deliver a negative PCR test within 72 hours of an event can attend music shows and performances as well as baseball, soccer, football, and basketball games. Arenas may open to the public on February 23.
Certain rules and restrictions apply to begin with, Cuomo said. There is a strict 10 percent capacity limit in arenas and stadiums with a total capacity of more than 10,000 people. Locations must submit their plans to the State Department of Health for approval. Core efforts such as wearing a mask, temperature controls, and mandatory assigned seating to ensure social distance will also be required.
The state is in the process of inspecting eligible sites, so Barclays Center has already been exempted from reopening the first day it can, Feb. 23. The Brooklyn Stadium will host fans for the Nets game against the Sacramento Kings.
“The success of this and similar events at approved locations in the coming weeks will help reopen smaller locations in the future,” said Cuomo.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday that he spoke with the state and the Nets about his hopes of making Barclays a mass vaccination site for the city, so it’s not clear how Cuomo’s announcement might affect his plans.
In the meantime, the governor wants other locations that may be interested in reopening to ‘let us know’ sooner rather than later.
New Mets majority shareholder Steve Cohen said on Wednesday he wants to get Citi Field, which is currently used as a city-run mass vaccination site, on board. He hopes to have the stadium ready for fans for the home opener of the 2021 season against Miami on April 8, albeit with limited capacity expected.
“I think there will be fans. We don’t know exactly what percentage of the stadium will be filled, but it will probably be at least 10 to 15 percent,” Cohen said. “We are hopeful – people are getting vaccinated and it may loosen up over time.”
MSG said the Garden would also reopen to fans at around 2,000 per game, starting with the Knicks on Feb. 23 and the Rangers on Feb. 26.
The Yankees released a statement welcoming Cuomo’s decision, but the team did not elaborate on plans for when and how many fans could attend games.
People are starting to enter Citi Field as it opens its doors to the public today as a mass vaccination site, Katherine Creag reports.
Cuomo said testing is the most critical key to the reopening equation at these early stages.
“I can go to the president of the United States, take a test, and if I pass the test, I can walk into the Oval Office,” said the governor. ‘Why? When you are negative, you are negative. Testing is key. ‘
He added that the plan he unveiled on Wednesday “reaches the balance of a safe reopening. A PCR test is as safe as you can get.”
Cuomo has said for months that testing is key to reopening entertainment and sports venues, offices, and more before vaccination hits critical mass. He has said that the state and city of New York cannot remain closed for as long as it takes to achieve immunity to the herd, which will likely take many more months.
The governor laid the groundwork for the plan when he launched a pilot program with the Buffalo Bills to host two playoff games in January; fans had to show a negative test before the game and adhere to certain rules in the stadium. That will be the model for the safe and smart reopening of New York, which has seen post-holiday positivity rates drop in the past month.
Statewide hospital admissions were 7,593 on Wednesday, the lowest number since two days after Christmas.
Monday was the first day that over-75s and essential workers – including police officers, firefighters and teachers – were allowed to receive the vaccines in New York. Gaby Acevedo of NBC New York reports.
Could Broadway Be Next? What about concerts at Madison Square Garden? The indoor versus outdoor dilemma is real, Cuomo said, but he continues to argue that testing is key to a more immediate resurgence of the arts, culture and sports so fundamental to the vibrancy that New York City was before the pandemic. New York City can – and will – be this vibrant again, Cuomo says.
To further accelerate the resurgence, Cuomo announced the launch of NY PopsUp, an arts festival featuring hundreds of free pop-up performances across the state, including New York City. It will launch on February 20 and will run through Labor Day.
Daily percentage of positive tests by New York area
Gov. Andrew Cuomo divides the state into 10 regions for testing purposes and tracks positivity rates to identify potential hot spots. Here is the latest tracking data by region and for the five boroughs. Click here for the latest results at provincial level
“Cities took a big hit during COVID, and the economy won’t come back on its own soon enough – we have to bring it back,” Cuomo said in his announcement earlier this week. “Creative synergies are vital for cities to survive, and our arts and cultural industries have been shut down all over the country, taking a terrible toll on workers and the economy.”
“We want to be aggressive in reopening the state and getting our economy back on track, and NY PopsUp will be an important bridge to the wider reopening of our world-class concert halls and institutions,” he added. “New York has been a leader throughout this pandemic, and we will lead again by bringing back the arts.”