LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) – With COVID-19 guidelines keeping them closed, arcades in the village spent all of last summer campaigning to be allowed to open.
This summer, a year later, they finally can.
In February, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that indoor family entertainment centers, including arcades, could open again at 25 percent capacity starting March 26.
In the village of Lake George, there are three major arcades – Playland, Fun World and Funa’Rama Fun Park.
One of those three, Fun World, jumped on that date to reopen, and is currently open daily.
Fun World was also one of two that worked the hardest to petition to get open last year, partnering with Playland to create a comprehensive coronavirus safety plan that was applauded by the village of Lake George and Warren County.
Those plans went as far as completely reworking how attendees get tickets, and where they enter and exit the arcade.
“They removed machines, they had plexiglass in between them,” described Gina Mintzer, Director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce. “They were spot on, and still never got to be open.”
Playland remained closed as of Thursday, with arcade owner Chuck Leonelli declining to comment by phone.
Last summer, his arcade’s windows were covered in posters asking for the public’s help, using social media to petition the governor to allow arcades to open again.
Mintzer also pointed out that, although significant for the main trio of arcades, the ruling also affects hotels and RV parks, where small arcade spaces make up a sometimes surprising amount of revenue.
“There’s a lot of economics that go behind those little arcades,” Mintzer said. “How many kids, when you give them a $20 bill and tell them to go play, are back at you in 10 minutes?”
Neither Playland Arcade or Funa’rama Fun Park had reopening information availible on Thursday.
