DNC Committee asking attendees to avoid Milwaukee bars, restaurants during convention

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Democratic National Convention Committee is asking attendees not to visit bars and restaurants during the convention to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus.

That request is part of the DNC COVID-19 health protocols.

But despite this, those leading local restaurants say they’re being safe and they hope people will still visit and spend in the city.

Major Goolsby’s is one Milwaukee restaurant feeling the effects of the DNC scaleback.

“Certainly it’s a major blow, the fact that it was going to be such a big event," Major Goolsby's manager Marty Petricca said.

Petricca said they were forced to cut more than 20 jobs due to COVID-19’s impact.

They were hoping the DNC, and NBA season, would offset those losses.

“We were in contact with some people about having parties during the DNC and certainly those aren’t happening anymore," Petricca said.

The same goes for Carnevor restaurant just a few miles away.

“We had a lot of people, a lot of politicians. We had a lot of media, lobbyists coming in so we were feeling the benefits of it," Carnevor co-owner Omar Shaikh said. Shaikh is also the board chairman of VISIT Milwaukee.

Carnevor is re-opening on Tuesday, a day after the Convention kicks-off.

Shaikh was disappointed.

“We have scoured and cleaned this restaurant top to bottom, for two weeks, with our staff. But at the same time, we’re in the middle of a global pandemic," he added.

“Protecting the health and safety of everyone involved” is a commitment of the DNC Committee.

A Milwaukee Health Department representative said they did not give a directive to avoid bars and restaurants during this time.

The DNC COVID-19 Protocol Overview can be read in full, below: