NEW YORK _ Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced horse racetracks and an upstate car-racing track can reopen June 1, but fans will have to stay away for now.
And he suggested it might not be long before the Yankees or Mets could be playing, too.
The order means races can start running again at Belmont Park as Cuomo seeks to reopen the state without causing a spike in coronavirus cases or deaths.
"Remember, the problem here are crowds and gatherings. So what can you do or what economic activity is willing to reopen without a crowd?" Cuomo said. "It can still be televised. Great. If you can have economic activity without a crowd, that's great."
Along with Belmont, which is run by a state agency, the Watkins Glen International track in upstate Schuyler County will open to prepare for a NASCAR race planned for August. The famed Saratoga Race Track is also set to reopen in August.
As for baseball, Cuomo said he has no control over whether or how Major League Baseball decides to restart.
He suggested he has no problem with games as long as proper safety precautions are taken, which he said would rule out fans attending for now.
Cuomo made the announcements as he said another 157 people died from coronavirus Friday. Cases and hospitalizations are still stable, although they are not dropping quickly as they had before.
He extended permission for hospitals in Westchester and Suffolk counties to perform elective surgeries.
