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He will remain silent at Churchill Downs as the horses cross the finish line in the 146th Kentucky Derby.
In a dramatic about-face, Churchill Downs announced on Friday that he was not allowing Run for the Roses fans amid growing concerns about the safety of a crowd, even with social distancing rules in place, during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Churchill Downs and all of our team firmly believe that it is our collective responsibility as citizens of Louisville to do all we can responsibly to protect the health, safety and security of our community. in these tough times and we believe running the Derby without a spectator is the best way to do it, ”track officials said in a statement.
“We deeply regret the disappointment this will bring to our loyal fans.”
The decision to hold the rescheduled races on September 5 without fans also applies to the Kentucky Oaks and all live races at Churchill Downs during Derby Week. Tickets for all races and associated programming will be automatically refunded, officials said in the announcement.
Kentucky Derby Tickets: Here’s what you need to know about refunds
Churchill Downs President Kevin Flanery said on Friday that the historic South Louisville Racecourse “was hopeful that we would be able to have fans in the stands … when we made the difficult decision to move it to September.”
But “with Louisville being labeled a red zone city by the CDC this week, we just felt like we couldn’t responsibly bring 23,000 fans to the Derby facility.”
“It’s not an easy decision,” he added. “It’s a program that we’ve tried our best to cross the finish line. But ultimately the safety of our guests, the community, our employees is number one priority.”
On August 12, Churchill Downs released a 62-page plan of operations that limited participation in the Kentucky Derby on September 5 to less than 23,000 guests. The plan also scratched general admission tickets and announced that the infield would be closed.
Churchill Downs said his reverse decision not to allow fans had the full support of Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
“I commend Churchill Downs for continuing to monitor the virus and for making the right responsible decision,” Beshear said in the statement. “I call on all Kentuckians to take action to stop the spread of the virus so that we can return to the many traditions we value, such as the Kentucky Derby.”
A person close to Churchill Downs told the Courier Journal that the decision not to allow fans was not imposed by Beshear, but made by themselves after lengthy public health considerations. A Churchill Downs official informed Beshear of his decision earlier this week.
Reaction to the decision came quickly and poured in from all over Kentucky on Friday.
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who previously said he did not plan to attend this year’s Derby, citing the high number of new coronavirus cases and racial justice protests expected in Louisville on September 5, has said: “I know it was a tough decision for Churchill. Downs, but it was obviously the right call for the health and safety of the people of Louisville.
“We are currently seeing an unfortunate spike in COVID-19 here, and if we are to shorten this crisis and save lives, we must constantly do what we know well: wear a mask, wash our hands and maintain social distancing, which in this case means watching Derby 146 from the comfort and safety of our homes. “
Fans or no fans: Louisville protesters still want the 2020 Kentucky Derby canceled
Health experts: Churchill Downs made the right call canceling Derby fans
Dale Romans, a Louisville native and Derby Attachment Rate hopeful coach, said he believes Churchill Downs made the right decision.
“The energy in the air when the Derby is taking place is incredible. Were we going to be able to capture that with 23,000 people there? I think Churchill made the right decision. It’s a scary situation right now. It looks like there is a big increase (in cases of COVID-19) around the city, ”he said.
State Representative Jerry Miller, a Republican from Louisville, said Churchill Downs’ decision not to allow fans was “regrettable” but “probably the prudent decision to be made.”
“It will probably have a negative effect on Louisville’s economy, but unfortunately I think it’s probably the best thing for Louisville right now,” he said.
In January, Louisville Tourism estimated an economic impact of $ 400 million for Louisville from the 2020 Kentucky Derby. A typical Derby weekend creates nearly 100% hotel occupancy in the 22,000 hotel rooms and 1 600 Louisville short-term rentals, said Stacey Yates, vice president of marketing and communications at Louisville Tourism.
State Senator Morgan McGarvey, a Democrat from Louisville, also did not question Friday’s Churchill Downs decision.
“I’m happy that we’re still running the Kentucky Derby for the 146th year and that Churchill Downs is doing it in the safest way possible,” McGarvey said. “I hope we can all be there the first Saturday in May next year at the 147th race.
Councilor Kevin Triplett, of the 15th District, whose district includes Churchill Downs, said on Friday that once he heard about the plan to allow fans to participate he thought it was irresponsible.
“I feel for those who were excited to participate and those who now have to cancel reservations, flights, etc.,” said Triplett. “But it’s the right thing to do. It is the responsible thing to do. “
Metro Council chairman David James of the 6th arrondissement said he applauded the decision to run the race without fans.
“Once the numbers for COVID started to rise, quite frankly I was a little shocked and astonished that they were trying to put fans inside Churchill Downs knowing COVID is crippling our country. It seems to me, I thought: this will just create a big petri dish, ”he said.
He acknowledged that it could be an economic blow to the city, but said people who don’t work because they are sick or businesses are shutting down due to the pandemic would also have an economic impact.
“Does it have an economic impact by not having fans on the track? It’s true, ”James said. “But does it also have an economic impact when we shut down businesses because the fans who were on the track are now sick and spreading it?”
Editorial: Why we think Churchill Downs made the right choice
Louisville’s hospitality and tourism industry reacted to the latest news on Friday, with many saying they were not surprised by the move.
Karen Williams, president and CEO of Louisville Tourism, said the organization hoped “for any economic relief that a reduced capacity Derby would have had for the hospitality industry and its 60,000 pre-pandemic jobs,” holding the historic races without fans in the stands “is something we’ve all prepared for.”
Jeff Crowe, director of Kentucky Experiences at Evans Williams, said he wasn’t surprised by the decision, but it didn’t make the news any easier to swallow.
“I think everyone saw it coming and knew it would be the end result. It’s bad for restaurants, hotels, and all businesses. We will get over it and we will no longer be stuck with our pants down. This could be the new normal, ”he said.
When Churchill Downs announced in June that he would host the Derby with fans, Louisville airports were hoping spectators could give them some life after being rocked by a drop in passenger numbers spurred by the coronavirus, said Natalie Chaudoin, spokesperson for the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.
While Chaudoin said at the time that it was too early to predict what traffic might look like in September due to airlines not posting their schedules so far, on the Sunday after the Kentucky Derby of the last year was the busiest in the history of Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport: There were 14,500 seats initially scheduled that day.
“The airport authority knows this was a very difficult choice for Churchill Downs in regards to the fans’ participation in this year’s Kentucky Derby and we understand why they erred on the side of caution,” he said. she declared. “We are helping them make a decision for the health and safety of the fans.”
A crowd of 23,000 would have made up about 13.5% of the record 170,513 people who attended the Kentucky Derby in 2015. It would be one of the largest crowds for a sporting event in the United States since sports started. started to close in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A crowd of 30,000 fans were cleared for a NASCAR race on July 15 in Bristol, Tennessee, the Courier Journal previously reported.
See also: Louisville riders react to 2020 Kentucky Derby without fans
The Kentucky Derby has been held annually since 1875 and has been held on the first Saturday in May of each year since 1946. The 1945 Derby was held on June 9 because of World War II.
Last year the turnout was 150,729 people. The Kentucky Oaks record crowd of 124,589 was set in 2016, and Oaks attendance last year was 105,719.
All three Triple Crown races have been postponed this year due to the pandemic. Tiz the Law won the Belmont on June 20, two weeks past its originally scheduled date. The Preakness has been postponed from May 16 to October 3, making it the last stop on this year’s Triple Crown program.
Churchill Downs announced on July 29 that its net sales were down $ 162.9 million from the second quarter of last year, which included a $ 13.5 million blow related to the suspension of operations at Derby City Gaming, its historic racing machine center on Poplar Level Road in Louisville.
More on this: Hospitality industry disappointed but not surprised by any fan
Journalists Darcy Costello, Jason Frakes, Dahlia Ghabour, Gege Reed, Joe Sonka, Ben Tobin and Debby Yetter contributed to this report. Kathryn Gregory, Features & Lifestyle Editor, at [email protected].
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