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Business owners prepare for COVID-19 impacts

Posted at 6:54 PM, Mar 12, 2020
and last updated 2020-03-12 19:54:37-04

Patty in the Parc set to take place this Saturday in Downtown Lafayette is canceled.

Event organizers say they understand the impact canceling or postponing an event has on a community, but right now, they say it's best to be cautious.

Legends owner Jared Doise said, "I hope we're all being overly cautious. I hope at the end of the day, we lose out on a few dollars, but we save more lives than we could ever calculate."

Doise's main concern is the safety of his staff and customers. During a Saturday night event like Patty in the Parc, Legends is packed with people looking to have a good time.

"At the end of the day, you can't take anything with you. You want to know you did the right thing," Doise said.

Rob Kirkpatrick, one of the organizers of Patty in the Park said, "It just didn't seem like getting this many people together all for an event all at the same time, even though it's open air was a good idea. Of course there is a huge financial aspect to it, but it just wasn't worth risking anyone's safety."

Kirkpatrick recognizes the financial impact their event and Downtown will feel.

"Parc International is where Patty in the Park actually starts, but it has wide ranging impacts for all of Downtown, other businesses really benefit from the crowds that come Downtown," Kirkpatrick said.

Doise is thankful his wife takes care of the books and has prepared for emergencies. While Legends is prepared for a financial sting, they want to keep everyone safe.

"I do worry that there's other business down here that if the next few events are canceled, they may or may not be able to recover," Doise said.

Organizers for Patty in the Parc hope the event will go on as scheduled next year.