Miami-Dade movie theaters to open soon at 50% capacity, mayor says

Miami-Dade officials prepare to reopen some entertainment venues

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – After Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Miami-Dade County will move into Phase 2 of the statewide reopening plan starting Monday, local officials started to finalize their plans for next week.

While Florida is allowing bars to reopen on Monday, Mayor Carlos Gimenez said bars and nightclubs are not allowed to reopen just yet in Miami-Dade County.

“My administration will be looking at what businesses we can reopen that were forced to close in June because of the spike after Memorial Day,” Gimenez said. “Those include entertainment venues like movie theaters, bowling alleys, playhouses and arcades.”

Gimenez said the businesses will be allowed to operate at 50% capacity and under strict rules to keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Miami-Dade County is allowed to enforce rules that are more strict but not more lenient than the state’s rules.

According to the Florida Department of Health, Miami-Dade’s coronavirus testing positivity rate has been under 10% since Aug. 18.

During Phase 2, state authorities allow the capacity to increase at stores, restaurants and gyms. Amusement parks were also allowed to reopen.

“The most significant aspect to that is that it really clears the pathway for in-person instruction to resume,” DeSantis said about reopening schools.

Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said there will be a special board meeting next week to make plans to return to classrooms during the pandemic.

“We are also convening the medical experts to get a final recommendation and recognition of where the medical data stands today, so we are extremely encouraged," Carvalho said.

After several security issues and inefficiencies reported made distance learning difficult, the Miami-Dade school district cut ties with My School Online service on Thursday.

Miami-Dade moved into Phase 1 on May 18. This allowed retail stores, restaurants, barbershops and hair salons and professional sports venues to operate with limitations. Elective surgeries also resumed.

Phase 2 took effect in the entire state — except for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties — on June 5.

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The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.