SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — As California counties move through the reopening tier system, a glimmer of hope is seen in many cities.
After waiting more than a year, many events are slowly returning and attractions are reopening.
"We are very excited to get back in business. We've missed being in business we love what we do," Chris Goldsmith, president of Belly-Up Entertainment, said.
The concert venue finally got state guidelines for reopening.
"It felt like the beginning of something and pinprick of light at the end of the tunnel," said Goldsmith.
Of course, a few days after that California made the announcement the tier system will go away, and the economy will reopen in mid-June if certain benchmarks are hit.
While that's good news, that announcement forces businesses like Belly Up to either create a two-month tier-based business model or operate another few months the way they have been with live streams.
"We're still trying to keep it fairly soft until we know for certain what we're doing," Goldsmith says.
While they wait to see what a June 15 state-wide reopening really looks like, big venues for entertainment are back open. Some of the rides at SeaWorld San Diego reopened after being closed for more than a year.
In Carlsbad, LEGOLAND California wasted no time getting fans back in the park and on the rides.
Fans are back in the stadiums for Major League Baseball games, amusement parks across the state are finding ways to get people back and outdoor concert venues are planning events to fill the summer sky.
Even fairs from north to south are altering plans that initially kept them closed to reworked and potentially reopened versions.
As of Wednesday, state data showed more than 10.5 million Californians are fully vaccinated. CDC data shows that, other than Hawaii, California's seven-day coronavirus case rate is the lowest in the United States.
"There's a lot of reason to hope but we have to collectively come together to collectively fight the spread," says Dr. Abi Olulade, a family medicine doctor with the Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group.
She says because the virus is invisible it can really give people a false sense that it's gone...it's important to remember we're still in a pandemic.
"If you are out in public you still have to mask regardless of your vaccination status you still have to distance," said Olulade.
For Goldsmith and Belly Up, safety is first. When they reopen the doors, they want to offer that same quality experience they're known for.
"I do think the enthusiasm is going to be hard to fight. There's definitely going to be a surge of people going out and having a good time," said Goldsmith.
