Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants Call On Gov. Murphy To Reopen NJ

OCEAN CITY, NJ — The Ocean City Boardwalk Merchants Association called for Governor Phil Murphy to allow its businesses to reopen safely. Seventy-six percent of local boardwalk merchants say business is down at least 50 percent, according to a survey the organization released Friday.

Some Ocean City boardwalk businesses have opened in a limited capacity, while others must remain closed because of the coronavirus. Every merchant surveyed said they would be negatively impacted if the state requires amusement parks to remain closed.

“We simply cannot survive another month of this," BMA President Wes Kazmarck said in a statement. "It is time to open all local Ocean City businesses. Today.”

The survey also found the following, according to the association:

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• Forty percent of boardwalk businesses have cut their workforce by 26 to 50 percent this year, while 24 percent have cut their workforce by 91 to 100 percent, 20 percent cut their workforce by 26 to 50 percent, 12 percent have reduced the number of workers by 76 to 90 percent. Just 4 percent have cut their workforce by less than 10 percent. 

• Forty percent of boardwalk merchants say revenues are down 51 to 75 percent, 24 percent say business is down 26 to 50 percent, 20 percent say it is down 76 to 90 percent, and 16 percent say business is down 91 to 100 percent. 

• Twenty percent of boardwalk merchants say the season is salvageable for their business, while 80 percent said it “depends on when we are permitted to fully open.” 

• Twelve percent of Boardwalk merchants said they have considered closing their businesses for good, while 80 percent said they had not. Eight percent were unsure. 

• Eighty-four percent of Boardwalk merchants said they believed the stay-at-home orders and business closures were necessary to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, while 16 percent said they were unsure. Conversely, 96 percent said the stay-at-home orders and business closures are not necessary today. Four percent were unsure. 


“Our businesses may not be essential to Governor Murphy, but they are essential to us, our families and everyone we employ here in Ocean City,” Kazmarck said. “Ocean City’s Boardwalk businesses did our part. We followed by the governor’s executive order and shut down our businesses, delayed opening for the season and prohibited shoppers from entering our stores, eating in our restaurants or enjoying our rides."

Several amusement businesses in Ocean City, such as Playland's Castaway Cove and JiLLy's, have joined the #RELEASETHEFAMILYFUN digital campaign. Their goal is to persuade Murphy to reopen attractions.

The New Jersey Attractions Association has proposed a plan for reopening their businesses. The plan includes enforcing social distancing, employees letting supervisors know if they're sick and requiring workers to wear equipment such as gloves and masks.

Murphy ordered the closure of amusement parks and other "non-essential" businesses to close March 17. The state has loosened some regulations and is preparing to lift more in the next month.

It is not clear when attractions may reopen. The state has limited outdoor gatherings to 25 people. Stage 3 of the state's reopening plan calls for higher-density settings, including "limited entertainment" to be considered with safeguards.

The Cape May County Health Department has reported 10 active coronavirus cases, 32 people cleared off quarantine and one death in Ocean City as of Monday morning.

The state reported 426 new cases and 79 deaths Sunday, bringing the Garden State to 164,164 cases and 12,176 fatalities.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus, Reopen Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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