ALBANY, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Any large stadium or arena in New York will be allowed to reopen starting Feb. 23, with capacity limits, testing and other precautions in place.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement during a briefing Wednesday.
Venues that host sporting and entertainment events, including hockey, basketball, football, soccer and baseball games, as well as concerts and other performances, with a total capacity of over 10,000 people will be limited to 10% capacity.
The venues will be required to submit their plans to the state’s Department of Health for approval.
Fans will be required to provide a negative PCR test within 72 hours of the event.
"The testing to me is key," Cuomo stressed. "I can go see the president of the United States, take a test, and if I pass the test, walk into the Oval Office. Why? Because if you’re negative, you are negative. So the testing is the key."
Face coverings, social distancing and temperature checks will be mandatory.
There will also be mandatory assigned seating.
"While we’re doing vaccines and while we’re controlling the spread of COVID we also have to at the same time get this economy open intelligently and in a balanced way," Cuomo said. "This hits the balance of safe reopening."
He said Barclays Center has already been approved to open that night as the Brooklyn Nets host the Sacramento Kings.
"Using this model they’ve been approved to do that," Cuomo said. "Anyone else who is interested should let us know."
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that he'd like to set up a mass COVID-19 vaccination site at Barclays Center, but it's not clear how that effort will be impacted by the governor's reopening announcement.
Cuomo said the state is able to move forward with this plan following the “unparalleled success” of the Buffalo Bills demonstration program, which allowed 6,700 fans to attend a playoff game in the stadium with testing.
Following the governor’s announcement, the New York Islanders issued a statement saying in part, ‘We look forward to welcoming the best fans in hockey back to the Coliseum as soon as possible and to UBS Arena at Belmont Park next season.”
The team said season ticket members will receive first access to tickets once they are available.
The New York Yankees followed up with their own statement saying, "Governor Cuomo's announcement today is an encouraging first step. We thank the governor for his leadership, and we will continue to engage his office in productive dialogue moving forward. The safety of everyone who enters Yankee Stadium remains our top priority, and we will work diligently and in lock-step with the governor to ensure all precautions and procedures are being followed as we lead up to the 2021 baseball season."
Madison Square Garden says it would reopen to about 2,000 fans for the Knicks game on Feb. 23 and the Rangers game on Feb. 26.
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