An Ohio racetrack owner says the state's lockdown restrictions are going to drive him out of business, according to Fox 8.
“We are opening. Summit Sports Park is not gonna wait for permission,” Bader said in a Facebook video posted Wednesday.
“Summit Sports Park is not gonna wait for Dr. Fauci and wait for Amy Acton and wait for Mike DeWine because none of them even know I exist and none of them really care.”
As of Friday, Ohio had 9,107 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 418 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.
"It is not my intention to be reckless. It is not my intention to put anyone in harm's way. It wasn't my intention when I said it," Bader said.
Bader said he has 20 small planning events, which are "participant-driven," meaning the drivers and fans can be safely situated far enough away from one another. Those events will have touchless transactions at the gate. And since his facility seats 30,000 people, he said he can properly practice social distancing by bringing in 6,000 fans.
He admits his track won't be ready to open for six weeks and has no events scheduled for May. But he is worried about the future of his business.
"If sports doesn't reopen, if events don't reopen, it's a casualty. It's a casualty of war and if I can't get open this year, I'm out of business," Bader said.
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