LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — A rally to re-open bowling alleys is happening Wednesday in Lansing.
Outside of bowling alleys in Northern Michigan, the remaining alleys have been closed since the start of the pandemic.
The Bowling Centers Association of Michigan is suing Governor Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel over the executive order keeping their doors closed. They claim they have the protocols in place to safely re-open.
“We’ve been closed now for five months with no revenue and no communication from the governor’s office," said one frustrated owner.
A lawsuit filed by the Bowling Centers Association of Michigan along with five Michigan bowling alleys claim the executive order keeping them closed during the pandemic is unconstitutional.
Bowling alleys, except for those in Northern Michigan and the U.P., remain closed.
“We noticed that there were a lot of other industries that were very similar to ours, just like restaurants and now casinos that are opening and we felt like we were just being lost in the shuffle.”
"We noticed that there were a lot of other industries that were very similar to ours just like restaurants and now casinos that are opening and we felt like we were just being lost in the shuffle." @wxyzdetroit at 5:30 pic.twitter.com/v3nzxd5d2Q
— Jenn Schanz (@JennSchanzWXYZ) August 12, 2020
The association is hosting a rally Wednesday at the state capitol, calling on the governor to allow them to re-open. They say if bowling alleys around the state can’t re-open soon, they’re risking closing for good.
The lawsuit claims the association submitted re-opening plans to the governor, which would include operating at half capacity, enforcing social distancing, and requiring masks.
“This is not about challenging the governor’s executive order. It's easy to social distance.”
The usual busy season for these alleys is right around the corner.
7 Action News did reach out to Governor Whitmer's office. They responded, saying: "Our practice is not to comment on pending litigation."
