TASK FORCE CHAIRMAN SAYS:
At All-Star Village,
No Closing Planned
– At Least For Now
COOPERSTOWN – County Emergency Task Force chairman Allen Ruffles today said he has been assured by Marty Patton, owner of Cooperstown All-Star Village in West Oneonta, that there are no plans to cancel the summer season, at least for now.
All-Star Village – as well at Coopertown Dreams Park in Hartwick Seminary, which Friday announced it is cancelling it 2020 season – together fuel the county’s youth-baseball camp sector, which together inject millions of dollars annually into the local economy.
Ruffles, who is also county treasurer, said he called Mike Waller, Dreams Park general manager, last Wednesday and was assure “they were making no decision,” and “he would be in touch with me.”
Two days later, the news broke. “What happened in those two days?” Ruffles ask.
Cooperstown Dreams Park, founded by the late Lou Presutti, in the off-season is based for nine months of the year in Salisbury, N.C. Patton is a county native, born and raised Oneonta, and related to the influential Colone family in that city.
Hopefully Mr. Patton is also giving teams the option of canceling and receiving 100% refunds…should they decide the health of their children is more important that a tournament.
How about the health and well-being of everyone and be closed
The decision by Mr. Patton to take it one step at a time is a wise one. No one knows where we will be in two or three months. At some point our country will be able to move again. We hope and pray that most of our businesses will be able to restart. The alternative is quite scary.
So many of our local businesses are dependent upon tourists and travelers. Without this source of income they will be unable to hire people; buy goods and services; and pay their taxes, which will be a catastrophe for local governments and school districts. (Ms. Gentile take note). The most prudent move right now is, wherever possible, to postpone, not cancel. As Governor Cuomo correctly states, we are on PAUSE. Stay strong. Keep safe. Do not panic. Do not overreact.
Such wishful thinking not helpful for a disease for which there is no vaccine, insufficient testing, and little on-site testing. Sick tourists could easily overwhelm local hospitals. The CDC now forecasts 82,000 deaths by August, with New York in top spot.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/health/coronavirus-us-ihme-model-us/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+CNN+-+Top+Stories%29
For sure we don’t know where we will be in one, two or three months but what we know is that this virus will not magically disappear. This will be very risky for players, families, umpires, and in general ALL people involved in this tournament. Health and well-being of everyone it’s more important!!
I was reading another article which said if the tournament goes on at All Star Village. The players will stay with their parents in a hotel instead of staying in dorms. Still social distancing. So, as a family that is scheduled to be there in August, our feeling is this. This is a very expensive trip that we have been very excited about. Looking forward to seeing alot of cool things along the way. If we are not going to be able to get the Full Experience we would rather postpone our trip until next year. We want our boy to experience staying in dorms, eating with his team, etc. If you cannot, during this crazy time provide the entire experience, please, for the teams, the kids and families cancel this year…..we will spend alot extra next year!!!