JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — Busch Gardens Williamsburg remains closed at the height of tourism season. Businesses in that area are already feeling the negative impact. The county is taking a hit as well.
In 22 years, Charlie Messina's business has never taken a hit like this.
“This is worse than 2008,” Messina said. “There's no traffic at all.”
Messina is the owner of Doraldo Italian Restaurant, which is minutes away from Busch Gardens. He said since the park closed, business is down at least 75%. Messina said they are taking extra precautions, including wearing masks and extra sanitization.
“People are still scared and not traveling,” Messina said.
The President of the amusement park is opting to stay closed, arguing Governor Ralph Northam's 1,000-person limit is not economically sustainable. The county is also feeling the impact.
County administrator Scott Stevens said while it'll take some months before finding out the total impact, tourism is estimated to be between $16 and $19 million dollars for James City County, which is 8% to 10 % of the county's annual general fund budget.
“It's significant and Busch Gardens would be a significant part of that,” Stevens said. “The bigger concern for myself and the board of supervisors is the business community. There are many businesses that rely on Busch Gardens being open, so they can feed their families.”
Earlier this month, Senate Republican Leader Thomas K. Norment, Jr. (R-James City County) sent a letter to Governor Ralph Northam, calling his decision to not allow Busch Gardens to reopen with a reservation-controlled attendance of 5,000 visitors myopic and devastating.
In his letter, Senator Norment goes on to say Northam's decision is causing the local economy to hemorrhage. He adds that the governor's decision has kept about 4,000 Busch Gardens individuals unemployed.
Messina wonders when things will go back to normal.
“He's looking out for our safety but I'm sure they could've worked together to do something better for the economy and safety,” Messina said.