Disney chairman Bob Iger quit Gov. Gavin Newsom’s economic recovery task force in a sign that the entertainment company and state officials are at odds over California theme park reopening guidelines expected to be released this week.
Iger stepped down from the governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery that was formed in April to serve as an advisory panel on the state’s pandemic recovery efforts, according to the Sacramento Bee.
Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and other California theme parks closed in mid-March and remain shuttered while they await guidelines for safely reopening from the state.
Newsom’s 100-member-plus task force includes four former California governors, Apple CEO Tim Cook, former Federal Reserve Board chairwoman Janet Yellen and was co-chaired by former presidential candidate Tom Steyer.
California plans to issue reopening guidelines this week that will allow theme parks in the state to resume operations after more than six months of coronavirus closures, according to state officials.
Disneyland and other California theme parks have asked Newsom and his administration not to finalize COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines without first working with the industry.
The California Attractions and Parks Association asked state officials to listen to theme park operators’ recommendations and modify some protocols before issuing reopening guidelines.
California theme parks have been left waiting on the sidelines while other segments of the economy have reopened under Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
A growing chorus of theme parks, city leaders, state lawmakers and industry associations have called on Newsom to reopen Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland California and other amusement parks throughout the state.
Newsom said a month ago that he would announce a reopening plan for California theme parks “soon” and said two weeks ago that guidelines would be coming “very, very shortly.”
Disney announced this week 28,000 employees would be laid off at Disneyland and Walt Disney World as the company continues to struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the extended closure of its Anaheim theme parks.
Disney officials laid part of the blame for the layoffs at the feet of Newsom and his administration’s failure to issue theme park reopening guidelines.
The impact of the pandemic has been “exacerbated in California by the State’s unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen,” Disney parks chairman Josh D’Amaro said in a statement.
