LEBANON — Dr. Amy Acton, state health director, does not have the authority to order the restrictions that have prevented water and amusement parks such as Kings Island from opening, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
The lawsuit argues the state orders do not provide for equal protection under the law by permitting some but not all businesses to operate, the Dayton Daily News reported.
Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that entertainment venues such as Kings Island may reopen beginning June 10 as long as their managers and owners can follow the retail, consumer, service & entertainment guidelines and other applicable guidance the state put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The CEO of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company said both the company’s properties, Kings Island and Cedar Point, have protocols in place to reopen immediately.
"Cedar Fair fully supports the amendment to HB 665 that was adopted today [Thursday] in the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee. The amendment provides for the immediate re-opening of Ohio amusement parks and water parks," the CEO, Richard Zimmerman, said in a prepared statement. "We fully anticipate and expect having the same opportunity granted to other businesses in Ohio to operate our business in a safe and manageable environment."
Zimmerman said Cedar Fair Entertainment is an expert in risk management and following protocols that have been developed in accordance with governmental and CDC directives, Erie County and Warren County Health Departments, medical professionals, Ohio’s Development Services Agency (DSA) and industry best practices.
“Our capacity controlled, family friendly properties at Cedar Point and Kings Island, coupled with the operational expertise of our seasoned park professionals who work there, provides for an environment where predictable observance and enforcement of social distancing and COVID-19 protocols can be achieved,” Zimmerman said.
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