KERHONKSON—Pine Ridge Dude Ranch is preparing for a grand-reopening celebration on July 1 with strict safety protocols in place to reduce the COVID-19 risk, according to owner Mike Offner.
The western-themed tourist attraction will observe guidelines from the state Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is expected to initially operate at 50-percent capacity. That is subject to change based on revised guidelines, Offner said.
Offner made the announcement on Tuesday as the Mid-Hudson Valley region began phase one of a four-step reopening process. New York has been “on pause” since March 22 when Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all non-essential businesses to close as a way to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Offner said returning guests will be screened for fever with no-contact infrared thermometers at check-in as will employees at the beginning of their shift. Offner added that staff and guests will be required to wear face coverings at the ranch.
Other precautions to ensure guest safety include enhanced sanitation, including the use of EMist disinfectant sprays; hiring more cleaning staff; quadrupling the number of hand-sanitizing stations throughout the property; thoroughly cleaning riding helmets and gear after each use; observing 50-percent capacity in the Round-Up Corral Dining Room and switching from buffet to plated meals.
“We’ll be putting some of our guests out on the patio when needed and extending our snack-bar hours to reduce numbers in the dining room,” Offner said. Pine Ridge staff also will be making small but important changes like using disposable utensils and single-use condiment packages rather than bottles.
The gift shop will be stocked with pocket hand sanitizers, masks, and bandanas, and all activities at the ranch will be modified with social-distancing in mind, Offner said. That means no dance parties in the Bull Room, at least initially, and more live music outdoors.
“We’re just going to stay as flexible as possible and follow the guidelines from the governor and the CDC. All the hotels in the Hudson Valley are in the same boat, and we’re working as a team right now,” Offner said.
“It’s going to be safe and socially distant fun all the way around, and we’re hoping to get creative with it. When everybody sees our wranglers wearing their bandanas, we think it will get everybody in the authentic cowboy spirit. That works well for us here at the ranch.” While Offner said the entertainment lineup for the Independence Day weekend is still undetermined, the ranch will feature an outdoor barbecue and full fireworks show.
Pine Ridge felt the pinch immediately as the coronavirus began spreading in the state, Offner said. While some guests canceled school tours or family gatherings, others rescheduled for later dates. “We had to basically offer everybody up to 18 months to rebook. We probably rescheduled close to a couple thousand or more. In some scenarios, we’ve offered up to two years to reschedule for things like family reunions, but nobody lost any money.”
Offner said he laid off more than 80 employees in mid-March as the ranch shut down, but he plans to call all of them back on a rotating basis. To ease some of the burden, he secured a Paycheck Protection Program loan—what he called a “survival loan”—enabling the ranch to get caught up on the mortgage and utilities, but Offner said the financial losses have been great.
“We’re still spending a minimum of $40,000 a month with no one coming,” he said, adding that most of it is horse-related costs. The 150-acre dude ranch on Cherrytown Road has 60 horses to feed and care for as well as massive grounds and buildings to maintain.
“I’d have to say that personally, it’s been too surreal to be devastating,” Offner said. “I need to keep reminding myself that all the employees and guests are going to come back. The good part for me is spending every day around the horses. I’m enjoying that, but as far as the business, it’s not so good due to the uncertainty.”
Even so, the ranch is known for its horseback-riding programs, and Offner said being outdoors in a pandemic is ideal, so he’s banking on a big comeback.
“When people are finally ready to come out, I think we’re going to see a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. “During the shutdown, we actually had a lot of people asking if we were open for riding, especially on nice days. We’ve had to turn them away. Hopefully, we’ll be able to make up for it.
“The one thing I want to remind everybody about is to support our local businesses. Even as they reopen, keep in mind that most are going to be in bad shape, so be sure to patronize them.”
