Almost a year after they first closed to the public, the Morris Performing Arts Center and the Century Center in downtown South Bend are reopening for live shows and events. The city announced the reopening Friday as St. Joseph County’s COVID-19 case count and test positivity rate continue to decline.
Jeff Jarnecke, executive director of venues for the City of South Bend, said the city had to furlough the majority of staff members at both venues when the pandemic began last March.
He said Morris staffers returned to work Feb. 1, and while part of the Century Center staff is still on furlough, Jarnecke said they hope to bring the rest back in the coming weeks.
“Knowing that it’s starting to feel like some sense of normalcy may be coming back to us is incredibly exciting,” he said.
Jarnecke said each event on both venues' schedules will be independently reviewed by the health department, and attendance will be decided accordingly.
Jarnecke said all event dates are subject to change based on the county’s COVID-19 status, but as of now, the Century Center’s first events are scheduled for March, and the first shows at the Morris are slated for April. Reduced seating capacity and social distancing will remain in place.