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Nashville to begin first economic reopening phase on Monday

In this Wednesday, April 28, 2020, photo, two people walk through the otherwise deserted plaza outside the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. The Opry has suspended all events through May 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As businesses start to gradually reopen across the state, Tennessee tourism destinations like the Grand Ole Opry, Graceland and Dollywood remain closed. But many of them are preparing to start welcoming visitors once again in a state where tourists spent $22 billion in 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
In this Wednesday, April 28, 2020, photo, two people walk through the otherwise deserted plaza outside the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. The Opry has suspended all events through May 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As businesses start to gradually reopen across the state, Tennessee tourism destinations like the Grand Ole Opry, Graceland and Dollywood remain closed. But many of them are preparing to start welcoming visitors once again in a state where tourists spent $22 billion in 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) In this Wednesday, April 28, 2020, photo, two people walk through the otherwise deserted plaza outside the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. The Opry has suspended all events through May 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. As businesses start to gradually reopen across the state, Tennessee tourism destinations like the Grand Ole Opry, Graceland and Dollywood remain closed. But many of them are preparing to start welcoming visitors once again in a state where tourists spent $22 billion in 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

By JONATHAN MATTISE / Associated Press 3 min read

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Nashville will slowly begin reopening its economy next week amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Thursday.

Starting Monday, the city’s first of four reopening phases will allow dine-in restaurants, bars serving food, retail stores and commercial businesses to operate at 50% capacity. Workers will be required to undergo daily screenings and wear face masks. Bar areas will stay closed and live music will remain banned.

“The goal is to get us gently back to work while managing with the presence of the disease in our community,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said.

The first phase also continues to restrict gatherings to 10 or fewer people and calls for wearing masks in public.

Officials acknowledged an upward trend of new coronavirus cases over the past two weeks in Nashville, with clusters at homeless shelters and a meatpacking facility.