We have 1800 signers of the petition to reopen Nashville’s event industry on the same basis (% of occupancy) as restaurants, bars and retail stores.  

So far, the Mayor’s office has not responded to our arguments presented directly to them.  There have been no arguments that our rationale for reopening is wrong.  Our story has resonated with all that we have spoken to.

So, we enter the public information stage.   I am presenting our case on television, radio and in print over the next 24 hours.

If you want to discuss the unfairness of the Mayor’s reopening plan to our business, here are some not-so-fun comparisons:

- The Mall at Green Hills is open, but no venue in Nashville can have a wedding with more than 10 guests

- In Phase 2, the Country Music Hall of Fame (or any venue in Nashville) can have no more than 50 people at a wedding, while a party bus downtown can have the same 50 people.

- In Phase 3, a honkytonk downtown can have thousands of people come in off the street (50% of their legal capacity), while a private event venue of any size can only have up to 100 invited guests.

- Today, a restaurant can have a “buy-out” where a private individual closes the restaurant for an event at half of the restaurants capacity, while we can only have an event under 10 guests.

As you can see, the moral hazard imposed on our industry by the Mayor’s reopening plan is extreme.  If we cannot open until Phase 4 of Cooper’s plan, we’ll have to wait another 3 months for private events to actually be held.  As we all know, that will be catestrophic for Nashville’s private event industry.

Please call your council person or anyone you may know in the media or on the Mayo’s Coronavirus task force.

Thanks and be well.