The California Attractions and Parks Association (CAPA) called Gov. Gavin Newsom's statement that he was in "no hurry" to issue guidance to reopen theme parks in the state "disconcerting."
"Each day that parks are closed further decimates the amusement park industry," CAPA executive director Erin Guerrero said in a statement. "The governor's 'no big rush' approach is ruining businesses and livelihoods for thousands who could responsibly be back at work."
According to the Orange County Register, Newsom made the statement on Wednesday, saying, "We are going to be led by a health-first framework, and we're going to be stubborn about it. That's our commitment -- that's our resolve. We feel there's no hurry putting out guidelines."
Like theme parks around the world, California's closed earlier this year to help stop the spread of Covid-19. But while theme parks in other states -- notably Florida, home to Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Legoland Florida -- have been permitted to reopen with new health and safety guidelines, California's parks remain closed.
Guerrero said California parks "have spent months developing comprehensive draft guidelines with input from international health and safety experts" and are ready to open with new health and safety protocols in place.
Last week, it appeared park operators and the government in California were getting closer to a resolution. Guerrero said the governor's administration committed to working with the parks industry.
"We hoped their commitment to working with us was genuine, that we'd finally work diligently and collaboratively on guidance to allow amusement parks to responsibly reopen within a reasonable timeframe," she said. "We agree that science and data should guide safety decisions, but keeping amusement parks closed indefinitely when there are no known outbreaks being traced back to reopened amusement parks worldwide is unreasonable."
Disney had planned to reopen its theme parks at the Disneyland Resort in mid-July, but that plan was rolled back pending governmental approvals. Last month, Disney officials made a push to get guidelines to reopen.
"Responsibly reopening amusement parks and fighting this pandemic do not need to be mutually exclusive -- tens of thousands of amusement park workers and their families, businesses surrounding amusement parks and desperate local governments are counting on the state to do both," Guerrero said. "Let's get this signature California industry back to work."