Phase Three Of Reopening Amarillo Underway With Stipulations

Governor Greg Abbott announced his third phase Wednesday of reopening Texas businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing virtually all of them to operate at 50 percent capacity.

That is effective immediately, and there are "very limited exceptions," Abbott's office said.

Restaurants were already permitted to be open at 50 percent capacity. Governor Abbott is allowing them to immediately increase their table size from six people to 10, and on June 12, they can ramp up their capacities to 75 percent.

Abbott's latest order also brings news for professional and college sports that are played outdoors, letting the former shift from 25 percent capacity to 50 percent capacity at their stadiums and allowing the latter to resume for the first time, also at 50 percent.

There is no occupancy limit for the following:

Religious services conducted in churches, congregations, and houses of worship.

Local government operations, including county and municipal governmental operations relating to licensing, permitting and document filing services, as determined by the Amarillo City government.

Childcare services.

Youth camps

Recreational sports programs for youths and adults

There is some fine print to Abbott's latest announcement. Amusement parks and carnivals are among the business that are allowed to immediately operate at 50 percent  capacity , but only if they are in counties with fewer than 1,000 cases. Amusements parks and carnivals in counties with more than 1,000 cases can scale up to 50% capacity June 19. That includes Wonderland Park.

Bars, which were previously capped at 25 percent capacity, can immediately go up to 50 percent  as long as customers remain seated.