Business owners relieved to see amusement, water parks can reopen

SANDUSKY — Local businesses let out a sigh of relief Friday after Gov. Mike DeWine announced theme parks and water parks could open in two weeks. The COVID-19 pandemic forced Cedar Point and Kalahari Resort and Waterpark to close for months, straining the livelihoods of businesses relying on the traffic brought to the area by the attractions. "Kalahari and Cedar Point, along with Sports Force, brought massive amounts of people to this area," said Marcy Manion, the owner of Manny's Sports Tavern on Milan Road. Manion said they saw a decline in sales as a result. Matt Keech, the owner of Cameo Pizza, agreed and said his business sees typically a 30 percent bump in sales each year because of Cedar Point. "A lot of us depend on the business we do in the summer to get us through the winter," Keech said. Chris Biechele, the owner of Cheers Sports Bar & Grill in the Sandusky Mall, said restaurants and bars relied on people looking for a place to eat or catch a game while visiting the area. "There's a reason we're called the 'Vacationland': People from all around come to visit the best amusement park and one of the largest indoor water parks," Biechele said. "Without them, this area wouldn't have a thoroughfare (Milan Road) lined with restaurants and businesses. It would be a lot quieter." Restaurants aren't the only businesses that relied on the tourism industry. Joe Bell, a spokesman for the Sandusky Mall's owners, Cafaro Co., said the attractions help drive people into retailers. "When people spend a day or more in the area, they often find their way to the mall," Bell said. "It could be recreational shopping or because they need to pick something. Those people must be a part of the economy." After Cedar Point, Kings Island and Kalahari filed lawsuits against the Ohio Department of Health, DeWine announced Friday they could open June 19, sending a crescendo of relief to local business owners. "Hallelujah," Biechele said after being informed of DeWine's decision. "This will save the whole community. My attitude was if they didn't open by July 4, the area would be in serious trouble. Hopefully, we can get back to being the Vacationland soon." "Restaurants, in particular, will benefit a great deal from the opening of these parks," Manion said. "It has such a huge impact on most of our businesses locally. Most restaurants are operating at 50 percent capacity and still not filling up. Having more people visit the area will hopefully mean more people in restaurants." "This is fantastic for all of Sandusky," Keech said. "These attractions bring a lot of revenue into the area."