Gov. Wolf amends COVID-19 guidelines for venue capacity limits

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- As of Friday, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf amended his orders for indoor and outdoor gatherings.

Instead of 25 people indoors and 250 people outdoors, there can now be up to 10 to 25% of total occupant capacity.

Which all depends on the size of the venue, officials say.

On Saturday, dozens of cars lined up, bumper to bumper, waiting to enter the parking lot of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center.

"Well, since there's absolutely nothing to do nowadays, we heard there was going to be a concert today, and we like Chase Rice, so we figured why not come down and give it a shot," said Greg Koster of Long Island.

Concert goers say they saw it as a reprieve from the restrictive COVID-19 guidelines.

"People feel very safe to travel in the car right now," said Rachel Riley, director of communications for the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. "So that's been a positive sign for Montco too because folks want to get out. They want to do something, anything."

Riley says the number of hotel bookings on the weekends has increased as people become more comfortable with traveling.

The governor's new guidelines aren't advantageous for everyone. Richard Portney runs the wedding venue at Farmhouse at People's Light in Malvern, Chester County, and says the new guidelines only let him have 55 people outside instead of the 250 max that was allowed before.

Portney says the change is incredibly confusing for business.

"When you have a wedding that's 125 (people), what are you supposed to do?" asked Portney. "Do you put two tables so some people have to be outside, three-quarters of them are inside, you can't have them all on the same dance floor because that exceeds the limits?"

But the new guidelines are a green light for large venues. Philadelphia Union fans will be able to watch in the stadium starting Sunday.

On Tuesday, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is expected to let Eagles fans know if they can start watching games again at Lincoln Financial Field.

"If you're being safe about it and you are maintaining social distancing, then I don't see why and why not," said Tekla Simon of Elkins Park.

The maximum occupancy for indoor and outdoor events can be found here.