MESA, AZ — With 16 days left to go in its regular season and some of its employees finding work elsewhere, Salt River Tubing said Thursday that it would not reopen and would remain closed for the rest of the 2020 season.
Salt River Tubing, along with movie theaters, bars, water parks, and gyms, have been closed since June 29 when Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order forcing those businesses to close, the result of a significant spike in COVID-19 cases in the state.
"Understandably, many of our employees are unwilling to return to SRTR for only sixteen operating days of the remaining season. Due to the lack of certified and experienced SRTR personnel returning for duty, SRTR is unable to provide the quality service that meets our guest’s expectations and safely re-open on August 28th for the remaining 16 days of the tubing season," Salt River Tubing said in a statement.
The announcement comes as Maricopa County and seven other counties moved into the "moderate" phase of reopening, which allows tube operators, movie theaters, bars, and gyms to reopen with reduced capacity and a strict set of safety guidelines to follow.
The attraction said it plans to open next year on April 24, 2021 to celebrate its 41st season.
