Rodeo Austin canceled amid coronavirus concerns
AUSTIN, Texas - The Travis County Commissioners Court has voted to cancel Rodeo Austin.
A second special voting session was held today where the decision was made. The session began at 1:30 p.m. and continued for almost five hours. "At the direction of City of Austin and Travis Co officials, Rodeo Austin is heartbroken that 2020 events have been canceled. Rodeo Austin will respectfully comply with the public officials' orders in an effort to keep the safety and well-being of our community at the forefront," Rodeo Austin said.
(FOX 7 Austin)
The voting session came after Austin-Travis County announced they are prohibiting events with 2,500 or more attendees until May in light of the Marc 6 local state of disaster declaration related to the coronavirus. Officials with Austin-Travis County said that events are prohibited unless organizers can show Austin Public Health that mitigation plans are in place.
RELATED: UIL Boys State Basketball Tournament taking place with limited attendance
The local state of disaster declaration was made ahead of this month’s Spring Festival season following recommendations from interim local health authority Dr. Mark Escott, who acted on advice from an independent panel of experts. The season runs from March 13 through March 22.
RELATED: CoronavirusNOW.com, FOX launches national hub for COVID-19 news and updates.
Fears over the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus outbreak are causing authorities to take extra precautions with mass gatherings and events around the world. As worries over COVID-19 continue to grow, so too does the list of major events and concerts that are being called off.