Kansas City Health Department has not approved Disney on Ice shows at T-Mobile center
The Kansas City Health Department says it has not signed off on plans to bring in thousands of spectators to Disney on Ice performances planned at the T-Mobile Center.
Arena officials on Tuesday announced a run of more than a dozen shows set for late January and early February — the first performances with live audiences there since the pandemic caused the abrupt cancellation of the Big 12 basketball tournament in March.
But the event does not have the requisite approval from public health officials.
“While the tickets went on sale, that’s not where we’re at,” said Bill Snook, spokesman for the city health department. “We have been in contact with the T-mobile Center today. And we’re trying to get their mitigation plan to see if we can approve it.”
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Quinton Lucas has restricted all indoor gatherings to a maximum of 10 people. All concerts, theater performances, lectures and weddings with more than 10 individuals must submit a mitigation plan and receive approval from the Kansas City Health Department.
On Tuesday, Shani Tate Ross, vice president of sales and marketing for the arena, said the health department had already signed off on a plan for the Disney show’s performance at the city-owned venue.
Tate Ross could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
But Snook said tickets went on sale before the health department had vetted the venue’s plans.
“We do not have a waiver, a plan or an approval for a wavier at the health department for that event,” he said.
If approved, the Disney on Ice performances would be some of the largest indoor gatherings since public health orders sought to limit gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Organizers expected to reduce capacity at the 18,000-seat arena to 20% capacity — or about 3,600 people total.
T-Mobile Center had planned to sell tickets in “seating pods” in groups of two to eight seats scattered around the venue. Each pod would be separated from others by at least eight feet. Guests would be required to wear face coverings “unless otherwise exempted by law,” according to the production’s website.
The T-Mobile Center website says it has implemented many safety precautions, including temperature checks for guests, mandatory masks, social distancing measures and enhanced sanitation.
