SAN ANTONIO — A local skating rink owner is accusing the City of Leon Valley of not allowing them to reopen next week.
Koprecia Forsyth owns Car-vel Skate Center, a popular recreation spot that’s operated in the community for 40 years. But the rink has been empty since the coronavirus pandemic shut them down earlier this year, and Forsyth said she’s had trouble trying to keep her business alive.
“When it gets to the point where I pay everything out of my personal pocket to keep everyone afloat, I'm very frustrated because I'm running out of money,” she said.
Forsyth said she’s frustrated at Leon Valley city officials for not allowing her to reopen next week while other area businesses are have gotten the green light.
“We are the only business in Leon Valley that's not allowed to open, and we don't really have a concrete reason why or a starting date of when we can open,” Forsyth said. “We are no different than a movie theater, a bowling alley, laser tag—any of these places that are just a luxury recreation to take your kids, yourself or your family to.”
Leon Valley Assistant Manager and Police Chief Joe Salvaggio said he’s contacted both state and county officials to advocate for Forsyth, but he said the skating rink falls under an interactive amusement venue.
“They're part of a section that the governor has put off-limits,” Salvaggio said. “It hurts for them and hurts for us not to have them. But our hands are tied and we don't have an option in this matter.”
Salvaggio said there are eight other businesses in Leon Valley, like the San Antonio Aquarium, that also fall under the umbrella of interactive amusement venues, and are thus not allowed to reopen.
“When you're sitting on thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment and buildings and rent, it's very hard to not get upset and not to be angry," Salvaggio said. "We understand that and we definitely are sympathetic to that."
A spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed to KENS 5 that skating rinks falls under the same category as bowling alleys and amusement parks.
Under Gov. Greg Abbott’s most recent executive order, those venues are not allowed to reopen until given permission to do so in a future executive order.
The San Antonio Aquarium came under fire for ignoring Abbott’s first shutdown order, and was issued multiple citations for refusing to close.
Salvaggio said issuing citations are a last resort to force businesses to comply.
“The last thing we want to do is write citations because those citations, at a time period like this, they're painful when you're not bringing in money and you're getting a citation that could cost you a thousand dollars a day or more,” he said.
Salvaggio said city leaders have been helping promote businesses being reopened by posting signage along the streets and in front of businesses, in an effort to restore them after being closed for several weeks.
Salvaggio also said city officials will also be launching a social media campaign soon, urging neighbors to purchase future tickets or season passes to these venues still unable to reopen.
“I wish we could let him open. We really do. The city council wishes they could let him open," he said. "But we're doing no different than what all the other cities in this region and across the state should be doing if they're following the guidelines."
Forsyth said she is still hoping to get the green light to open by next week. But she also indicated she's charted her own course of action.
“I'm still going to open up, come rain or shine," she said. "I will be here opening up."