Some Metro East Business Owners Can Open Their Doors Again

CBS St. Louis

January 23, 2021

Business owners in the Metro East are getting good news Friday. After meeting Illinois state requirements in positivity rates, ICU bed and hospital bed capacity, Region four is now in Tier 2 of the COVID-19 recovering phases. RELATED: Metro East's Region 4 moves to Tier 2 This means group fitness classes, sporting facilities, large venues and casinos can reopen at 25 percent capacity. News 4 talked to business owners who are thrilled to see a change. Dale Strom, general manager at Bel-Air Bowling in Belleville, said the last few months have been tough. "Since we really couldn't open, unfortunately, we had to lay off all of our employees," Strom said. Strom tells News 4, after tracking the region's metrics this week, he began bringing employees back in the door. "We've come in and done cleaning and sanitizing and making sure everything is good to go," Strom explained. Bowling alleys, other sporting venues, and casinos are now getting the green light. Steve Peate, general manager at the Argosy in Alton said his team has been preparing to reopen as well. "The most exciting part is to reach back out to our team members and say hey we're opening up again. We're excited for you to get back in here and get back to work, the other part is our guests," Peate said. Peate said opening at limited capacity could present challenges, however, they're choosing to work through them. "We've redone our slot, we've moved table games, we've added plexiglass. We find ways both communicating and listening to guests and team members to find ways to make it better," Peate said. Bel-Air Bowling and Argosy Casino are opening its doors Saturday. Fitness centers and recreation sites are also open. For a full guide to Tier 2 and other tiers, click here.