County Hotels ‘Building a Ramp to July and August’

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COURT HOUSE – Along the Ocean City Boardwalk and the leafy streets in Cape May, in doo-wop themed motels in Wildwood and the tony towers of Stone Harbor and Avalon, in buildings older than a century or much, much newer, hotels, motels and inns are working to get ready for a new summer in a brand-new world.
This year, the kickoff to the summer season will not be Memorial Day.
That was no accident, according to Freeholder Will Morey, one of the coordinators of the county’s reopening efforts. The idea is a phased process that will have businesses open for the peak tourist season.
“We’re building a ramp to July and August. We thought it was the right balance,” Morey said recently. “It’s all about working toward a consensus. I think it’s been a good process.”
Plans are to open hotels and motels throughout Cape May County starting June 1, with the businesses allowed to operate at 60% capacity. By June 22, they would be at full capacity, under a plan submitted to Gov. Phil Murphy by the Cape May County-wide Recovery Initiative, an ad-hoc group that includes businesses, the mayors of all 16 municipalities, county officials, health experts and more.
Like the rest of New Jersey, most Cape May County businesses have been shut down under strict emergency orders aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. The plan created by local officials outlines timelines and guidance for beaches, boardwalks, restaurants and most activities in the county.
According to Morey, keeping visitors and residents safe from the coronavirus is the priority, but there needs to be some tourism allowed in order for the local economy to survive. County reports put the annual revenue generated by tourism at more than $6 billion.
A poll of county visitors performed by the county Department of Tourism showed 49% of those responding stayed in a hotel or motel, and another 6% in a bed and breakfast inn. Data from the county planning department shows there are more than 18,000 hotel and motel units in the county.
According to Morey, business owners around the county have embraced the limitations included in the phased reopening proposal. Most will require a reduced capacity for businesses, and new procedures for staff to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
“The industry has provided a comprehensive mitigation protocol…that would be universally followed,” reads the county task force report. The report includes a link to guidelines presented by the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association’s guidelines, which recommend taking employees’ temperatures at the beginning of each shift, creating ways to keep guests and staff at least six feet distant and installing dispensers of hand sanitizers.
The extensive recommendations cover cleaning of rooms, regularly sanitizing elevator buttons and numerous other steps.
Self-serve buffets are not allowed, and there is a recommendation to limit the use of restaurants and bars to hotel guests only, among other guidelines for cleaning and operation.  
While some aspects of the county group’s recommendations await state approval, the accommodations industry rules fall under local jurisdiction, according to Morey. The Cape May County Board of Freeholders recently approved a resolution lifting limits on seasonal and short-term rentals. The vote allows seasonal rentals to begin May 11, and short-term rentals on June 1.
Several towns also approved limits on short-term rentals. According to Morey, there was some confusion over who had that authority, but he said it has since been made clear.
“The governor specifically gave authority for short-term rentals to the counties,” he said.
According to Morey, the Murphy administration has been responsive to the county organizations’ requests, with several remote meetings held to discuss it already. He said the report has won praise from high-level state officials.
Morey in turn praised the efforts of local hotel and motel owners. He said they’ve been active participants in the process and along with real estate professionals have kept their focus on public health.
“Nobody really enjoys shutting their hotel down for Memorial Day Weekend. They want to do the right thing,” he said.
To contact Bill Barlow, email bbarlow@cmcherald.com.