Gov. Polis says restaurants, campgrounds could reopen by Memorial Day weekend

DENVER (KRDO) -- Gov. Jared Polis says the state is looking at data to possibly let restaurants in Colorado partially reopen dining rooms by Memorial Day weekend.

The governor answered questions during a remote update on the state's response to COVID-19.

Polis said it's possible that restaurants could see restrictions eased by May 22, which is in line with the goals he set out when announcing the state's safer-at-home phase last month. He also added that campgrounds could follow suit in opening.

But all of this depends on data being compiled by the Colorado Department of Public Health in response to the safer-at-home phase. But the possibility is something Parvacini's Italian Bistro Owner Franco Pisani is preparing for. "I think it's great you know we are going to wait for guidelines from the Colorado restaurant association," Pisani says. He already plans on using one-time-use menus, paper products, sanitizing every table, making sure they are six feet apart, as well as any other state required guidelines.

So far his restaurant has remained busy. Workers all wearing masks and gloves as they prepare dozens of to-go orders, but like any other restaurant in the State, the closing was far from painless. "Sales are down and profits are down but I managed to keep 35 people employed and that's all that matters," Pisani says. However, Pisani says if they do re-open the dining room they will still keep the curbside service open just in case people aren't comfortable with dining inside just yet.

"Just because you are open doesn't mean people are going to want to flock into restaurants I think they are going to wait and see as it goes," Pisani says.

No official reopening date has been set.

We'll have updates in this article throughout the day.