WWE deemed 'essential business' in Florida amid coronavirus outbreak
ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has deemed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) an "essential business" in Florida.
The Governor's Office made this decision on April 9th and informed Orange County of the essential service addition. The Florida Division of Emergency Management said that "employees at a professional sports and media production with a national audience" can operate as long as "the location is closed to the general public."
"With some conversation with the governor's office regarding the governor's order, they were deemed an essential business," Mayor Demings said during a news conference Monday. "And so, therefore, they were allowed to remain open."
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WWE was not initially deemed essential when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statewide 'stay-at-home' order earlier this month in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies are considered 'essential' and are allowed to stay open through the pandemic.
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NOTE: FOX 35 News originally reported that Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings deemed WWE an essential business. While Demings commented on the matter, it was the Governor who deemed it essential.