Kansas movie theaters and museums can reopen Friday, but what does that mean in Wichita?

Kansas will take the next step in its reopening on Friday, when movie theaters, museums, non-tribal casinos and other indoor entertainment venues will be permitted to reopen.

Bars and night clubs, along with swimming pools, will stay closed.

Gov. Laura Kelly unveiled the changes Tuesday — the latest rollback of restrictions after weeks of lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Even with the changes, it’s not clear what Wichita attractions might reopen in time for Memorial Day weekend.

The Sedgwick County Zoo and Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard are now open.

But Exploration Place, a hands-on children’s museum, plans to stay closed until early July. The Wichita Art Museum, which has been closed since March 16, plans to reopen to members on June 16 and to the general public on June 23. Mark Arts in east Wichita will reopen June 1. Field Station Dinosaurs in Derby plans to reopen on June 1, which is International Dinosaur Day. Other attractions could not be reached Tuesday afternoon or were still trying to decide what to do.

Movie theaters in Wichita

While theater chains locally aren’t sharing their plans yet, former Wichita theater owner Bill Warren said he thinks he knows what they’ll do.

“Most theaters aren’t going to open because if there’s no new movies, why go to a movie theater?” he said. “In Kansas, I think the vast majority will not open.”

Warren still has one theater in Midwest City outside of Oklahoma City and, although city officials would like him to reopen, is keeping it closed for now. Theaters will lose even more money than they already are if they reopen and don’t have enough customers, Warren said. One Monday in March, he said his theater had 600 customers. Then, the Oklahoma City mayor closed bars and restaurants. Midwest City was still open, but by that Wednesday, Warren’s theater had only six customers.

“We had more employees working in the building than we had customers coming to the theater that day,” Warren said. “It was like someone flipped a light switch.”

He said most movies are released on a national basis, and film companies buy national advertising to go with the releases.

Warren said the industry has agreed to release new movies in early July, and that’s likely when most theaters will reopen.

“I don’t think you’re going to see any theaters of any consequence open before July,” Warren said. “It kind of has to happen all at once.” He said while there may be some that open, “I doubt if they’re going to do much business.”

A modified phase 2

Gov. Kelly called the new standard a “slightly modified” version of phase two of her reopening plan. She announced it only a day after Kansas entered “phase 1.5” of the plan, which allowed barber shops and hair salons to open for appointments.

Local governments will continue to have the power to impose tighter restrictions, but cannot be looser.

The Democratic governor credited improving metrics related to the spread of COVID-19, along with hospitalization and death rates, for the decision. But it also came ahead of a Thursday session of the Legislature where Republicans will attempt to curb the broad emergency powers she’s enjoyed during the pandemic.

“I’m encouraged by our progress,” Kelly said.

Metrics posted by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment show the daily rate of new cases declining in recent weeks, from 13.3 per 100,000 people on May 4 to 5.3 per 100,000 on May 13, the latest date for which data is posted. New hospital admissions have also been falling, with just six reported on May 13.

As of Monday, 8,340 positive cases have been reported in Kansas and 173 deaths.

“I think we really did bend the curve effectively,” Edward Ellerbeck, population health chair at the University of Kansas Health System, told reporters earlier on Tuesday.

Kansas will be able to progress to phase three on June 8 assuming current trends continue, Kelly said. Mass gatherings of up to 45 would be allowed in that phase.

“Our approach, emphasizing social distancing, has helped drive encouraging trends on the metric we’re watching,” Kelly said.

During phase two:

• Mass gatherings of up to 15 are allowed
• Bars, night clubs and swimming pools stay closed
• State-owned casinos may open if they comply with health guidelines
• Theaters, arcades, trampoline park, museums, bowling alleys may open
• Organized sports and practices are allowed

The new activities and businesses that are allowed must comply with social distancing guidelines.

Retail stores and restaurants can continue to operate as long as they follow existing social distancing guidelines. For restaurants, that means keeping parties at least six feet apart. Churches and other houses of worship can continue to meet if they follow social distancing practices.

The phase two mass gathering restriction represents an easing of the standard. Previously, the limit was 10 people.

This story was originally published May 19, 2020 at 6:46 PM.