Area lawmakers support Great Adventure reopening plan

Area lawmakers support Great Adventure reopening plan

JACKSON, N.J. – Assemblymen Ron Dancer and Rob Clifton said Gov. Phil Murphy should consider Six Flags Entertainment’s plan to reopen its theme park in Jackson by setting the highest levels of hygiene and social distancing protocols.

“Six Flags has made a significant amount of investment to put together a very strategic and thoughtful approach to reopen their parks,” said Dancer (R-Ocean). “As one of the state’s largest employers, I hope Governor Murphy takes a very serious look at what they put together.”

Six Flags Great Adventure is New Jersey’s largest seasonal employer and the largest employer in Ocean County. The company ordinarily employs as many as 4,000 people during its peak each season.

“Because the park cover hundreds of acres, it can easily manage guest throughout to achieve proper social distancing,” said Clifton (R-Monmouth). “They have developed a comprehensive reopening safety plan that includes best practices from theme park and waterpark industry experts along with top destination parks from around the world.”

The company announced its plan Tuesday on ABC’s Good Morning America.

For guests, some of the most immediately noticeable features of the plan will include needing online reservations in order to limit attendance, temperature checks at the gates, and requirements that they wear a mask. Additionally, lines for rides will be spaced out, and other protocols will apply to dining in the park, sanitation and disinfecting processes, and employee training.

The company’s Jackson parks were originally scheduled to open for the 2020 season on April 4. The opening date was later pushed back to May 18. As of Tuesday, there is no set date to welcome visitors back to the park.