NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – New York City fitness studio owners are suing Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city over coronavirus restrictions that have kept them closed even after gyms were allowed to reopen, according to the New York Post.
In a lawsuit filed in Staten Island Supreme Court on Wednesday, the owners said, "Studios in New York City continue to be randomly and arbitrarily shut down since March 16, 2020, with no opening date in sight."
The coalition suing includes the Boutique Fitness Alliance and the New York Fitness Coalition; together they represent more than 2,500 gyms and studios across the city and state.
In the suit, the owners asserted they've lost "their liberty and property interests without due process" and that the city and mayor "have not provided any science or data to keep these small businesses shuttered."
The plaintiffs said it's unfair that many other indoor activities have been allowed to reopen with COVID restrictions while group exercise classes have been barred. Gyms in New York state were recently given the green light to reopen at limited capacity, but group classes aren't permitted yet in the five boroughs.
Amanda Freeman, founder of the SLT and the Boutique Fitness Alliance, told the Post that precautionary measures like social distancing and mask-wearing could be observed at the classes as they are elsewhere.
"They can't keep us closed forever, it's really unfair," she said.
City Hall spokesman Mitchell Schwartz told the Post he couldn't comment on the pending legislation, but he said, "The city's public health experts have determined that these activities are high-risk and we're continuing to put public safety first as the city continues its recovery from COVID-19."
