Stadiums And Large Venues To Reopen With Restrictions; Many Restaurant Limits To End

The state's largest venues, like Fenway Park and the TD Boston Garden, will be able to reopen at limited capacity in less than a month, according to Gov. Charlie Baker, who made the announcement Thursday.

"We know how difficult these restrictions have been and continue to be for businesses both large and small across the state. And today's announcement is a good sign and a move in the right direction toward getting back to that next normal," Baker said from Ledger, a restaurant and venue space in Salem.

Venues that seat over 5,000 people can reopen at 12% capacity on March 22 under the final chapter of Baker's reopening plan, officialy known as Phas IV.

"That will make it possible for several large venues, many of the businesses that have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic, to reach a plan to reopen with strict safety measures in place and capacity limits," Baker said.

Baker said he didn't have an answer on when exactly events would resume at Fenway and Gillette, which are currently used as mass vaccination sites, but that he expects to see baseball played in front of fans this year.

"This feels good," Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito said at Baker's press availability. "This means that indoor and outdoor stadiums, arenas and ballparks will be permitted to reopen with a 12% capacity."

"Opening day is in our near future," she added.

Before that, the state will return to Step Two of Phase III of it's reopening plan this Monday, meaning restaurants, theaters and other businesses can operate at 50% capacity and other businesses shuttered when COVID-19 cases surged in December can resume business.

Indoor performance venues, theaters and recreation centers can reopen March 1 at 50% capacity. Restaurants can operate at full capacity starting Monday but must maintain six-foot distancing precautions and 90 minute seatting limits.

Baker said he expects some communities to delay increasing restaurant capacity until after St. Patrick's Day.

Baker attributed the reopening move to the decline in coronavirus infections and hospitalizations in the state, which are at their lowest point since the fall.