Collin Raye performs during the concert to benefit the Buddy Care Foundation at Franklin Theatre on August 7, 2012 in Franklin, Tennessee. (file photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)
TOOELE COUNTY — The Tooele County Health Department (TCHD) has issued a Public Health Order to Jason Manning, the owner of The Amphitheater at Studio Ranch. The Amphitheater at Studio Ranch was slated to be the new location for an upcoming country concert that has stirred controversy over mass gatherings during the pandemic.
TCHD released a statement on Wednesday, saying an official notice of closure was issued regarding the proposed concert scheduled for May 30, 2020. The health department said the event “falls under the definition of a Temporary Mass Gathering.”
According to the statement, Temporary Mass Gatherings, as defined by R392-400, “pose an imminent health hazard at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The statement cites Governor Gary Herbert’s Utah Leads Together Plan 2.0 that temporarily bans mass gatherings during the ongoing pandemic.
The owner of the amphitheater could face criminal charges if he fails to comply with the Public Health Order.
Tooele County Health Department ended the statement by saying their goal is to “continue protecting the health and well-being of the community.”
On Wednesday a Utah judge authorized a temporary restraining order to halt the concert from taking place in Tooele County and a hearing is scheduled for Friday.
Organizer Eric Moutsos says that they are still going into it full steam ahead.
“We are still a go,” Moutsos said on Facebook.
COVID-19 coronavirus is transmitted from person to person. It is a virus that is similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention