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Banquet halls say they soon face freezeout as COVID-19 restrictions remain in place

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Posted at 6:18 PM, Sep 15, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-15 22:12:38-04

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Several metro Detroit banquet halls could be forced to close because of COVID-19 restrictions still in place six months into the pandemic.

They’ve moved events outdoors to tents, but cold weather could freeze them out.

The Italian American Cultural Center in Clinton Township has been in business 60 years and it includes a big banquet hall.

Officials say restrictions have been lifted on other businesses - casinos, gyms, and restaurants - and their limits are unfair.

As set by the governor, they can only have 10 people inside and 100 people outside.

Indoors they can open up to allow social distancing, they have safety measures in place, and, if treated like a restaurant, they could hold 300 people.

Several banquet hall owners got together and considered suing the Governor Whitmer but decided against it. She is holding another news briefing tomorrow.

Customers are victims too.

At the Italian Cultural Center today, the Carden family was looking at the facilities to hold their wedding October 1st. They would be limited to 100, about half of the number of people they’d like to invite.