CA State Senator Weighs In On Disneyland Layoffs
Senator Pat Bates (R) of Orange and San Diego counties asks CA governor to reconsider opening theme parks including Disneyland.
The words are simple. The sentences are succinct. And, with 28,000 Disney employees just laid off, the words of State Senator Pat Bates (R) may be the calmest California Gavin Newsom (D) will hear in the coming days.
As a former Disneyland employee, I'm shocked & heartbroken to learn that 28,000 people will lose their jobs. It’s time for the Governor to reconsider his position on reopening California's theme parks. https://t.co/7LSVXv4F8H
— Senator Pat Bates (@SenatorPatBates) September 29, 2020
Of the layoffs at Disneyland, the senator tweeted:
As a former Disneyland employee, I’m shocked & heartbroken to learn that 28,000 people will lose their jobs. It’s time for the Governor to reconsider his position on reopening California’s theme parks.
The Big Story
MyDisneyDorks.com
While Disney’s theme parks in Florida, Paris, Shanghai, Japan, and Hong Kong have been able to reopen with limited capacity, both California Adventure and Disneyland have remained shuttered in Anaheim, California.
“As you can imagine, a decision of this magnitude is not easy,” D’Amaro wrote in the memo to employees obtained by CNBC. “For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the company. We’ve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our cast members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity.”
The parks, experiences and consumer products segment is a vitally important part of Disney’s business. Last year, it accounted for 37% of the company’s $69.6 billion in total revenue.
Senator Bates, On The Record About Disneyland & Theme Parks
Senator Bates is solidly on the record as a supporter of opening the California Theme parks.
My legislative colleagues & I have sent a bipartisan letter to @GavinNewsom asking for guidance on the reopening of theme parks such as @LEGOLAND_CA: https://t.co/4AzSYN88rx. pic.twitter.com/QBevpaCqNn
— Senator Pat Bates (@SenatorPatBates) September 28, 2020
I have twice met with LEGOLAND representatives to review their re-opening plan and public health protocols, which I found to be extensive and well thought out. Data seems to point to a path for a responsible reopening of theme parks.
— Senator Pat Bates (@SenatorPatBates) September 28, 2020
Bates wrote on Twitter:
“The Governor is already allowing many indoor facilities to operate safely at reduced capacities,” she posted. “The same can be done for outdoor facilities to help get more people back to work safely.
“Data seems to point to a path for a responsible reopening of theme parks.”
Graphic: CNBC
Close, But Not Close Enough
And that data might be pointing to an opening of the theme parks, soon. But not quite yet.
Brady MacDonald of the Orange County Register just posted:
California is “getting very close” to reopening Disneyland, Universal Studios and other theme parks in the state but remains not quite ready to issue COVID-19 health and safety guidelines that would end the six-month closure of the major tourist destinations.
California Health and Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly discussed the timeline for issuing theme park reopening guidelines on Tuesday, Sept. 29 during a virtual online news conference.
“We’re getting very close,” Ghaly said during the news conference.
Sure. Maybe; for good or for bad, very close.
But try telling that to the 28,000 people now looking at pink slips.
