Cuomo keeps 10 p.m. restaurant curfew in effect for Super Bowl weekend

Gov. Andrew Cuomo will keep the 10 p.m. restaurant curfew in effect for the big weekend, despite a big push from restaurant and bar owners to lift it.

News 12 Staff

Feb 5, 2021, 10:37 PM

Updated 1,407 days ago

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Super Bowl weekend is always a big one for restaurants and bars, but with the pandemic and a curfew, it's going to be a tough one.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo will keep the 10 p.m. restaurant curfew in effect for the big weekend, despite a big push from restaurant and bar owners to lift it.
"People look forward to the Super Bowl all year, and we've been complying with the rules and everything, we want to be able to stay open," says Gina Straber, of The Main Event.
Cuomo says the curfew is there because when people tend to stay at establishments later, it leads to more gatherings.
In New Jersey, the curfew was just pushed back to midnight. And in Nassau, County Executive Laura Curran says if it were up to her, she would support a later curfew.
"I think our restaurants have done a fantastic job, our contact tracers really haven't traced virus spread within the restaurants," says Curran. "They are missing out on that crucial 9 p.m. seating, I think we can trust them."
In Suffolk, County Executive Steve Bellone says, "Suffolk County is supportive of changing the state guidance to lift the curfew."
The only option now for restaurants and bars is to possibly just kick out sports fans at halftime.
"The last thing I want to do as a restaurant owner is start kicking people out when there's 15 minutes left in the game," says Nick Luisi, of Roslyn Social. "I think a lot of the restaurants were hoping that he would lift the ban at 10 o'clock. It's a challenge for us as it is."