When you hear the word 鈥減assport,鈥� you might think about taking a vacation outside the country 鈥� maybe traveling to a tropical island or heading to Asia.
Vaccine passports work quite a bit differently. Take PromoWest Productions for example. They鈥檙e the company that owns popular Columbus venues like Newport Music Hall, EXPRESS LIVE, A&R Music Bar and The Basement. On August 12, its parent company AEG Presents announced it will require these vaccine passports, or just proof of vaccination, in order to attend any events or concerts in their venues.
AEG wrote the policy would go into effect for their venues no later than October 1. PromoWest enforced that policy for the first time on August 18. Until October 1, concertgoers can also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the event.
Last month, several Central Ohio businesses and music venues began making customers provide proof of a COVID vaccine in order to eat, drink or attend concerts. As weeks have passed by, they spoke about how that鈥檚 been for business.
Marissa McClellan, the marketing director for PromoWest, she said when they initially announced the policy, people were 鈥渧ocal about their opinions鈥� on social media. But when it went into effect, she said the feedback was pretty positive.
鈥淚 would say 98% of people have shown up to the events prepared," McClellan said. "They鈥檙e ready to go, they want to see live music, they鈥檙e excited to be there, because for some folks, it鈥檚 been a year-and-a half plus since they鈥檝e seen a live show.鈥�
For those who had tickets to concerts when the policy was in place who weren鈥檛 vaccinated or chose not to be vaccinated, McClellan said there was a 10-day window where PromoWest offered them ticket refunds. As AEG鈥檚 strict Oct. 1 deadline approaches, she said they will have another window for shows after that date.
But McClellan said business has been around the same as it was before, even with the refund policy. She added the vaccine policy not only lets them keep their customers and visiting artists safe, but keeps the artists coming to Columbus.
She mentioned that a majority of artists were the ones requesting vaccination or negative COVID test policies at the venues.
鈥淲hen push comes to shove, we probably would have lost some really good shows that we were bringing to Columbus," McClellan said. "So in the need and want to keep bringing these bands here and to keep them safe and as well as our guests and employees safe, it was something we had to do.鈥�
Safety is why some local restaurants and bars like Natalie鈥檚 Coal Fired Pizza and its sibling locations like speakeasy Light of the Seven Matchsticks have been requiring proof of vaccinations too.
Natalie鈥檚 began enforcing their policy, which also includes proof of a negative COVID test within 48 hours of entering, at all its locations on August 11 amid rising COVID case numbers.
Light of the Seven Matchsticks General Manager P.J. Ford said they鈥檝e seen a slight increase of customers since they have required vaccine proof.
鈥淚t seems like everyone鈥檚 trying to support," Ford said. "But in the same way as when COVID started, there was a huge influx of takeout orders and then things kind of evened out. So we鈥檒l see what happens in the future.鈥�
Ford added they鈥檝e been pretty strict about enforcing the policy, even if people come and they say they鈥檝e been vaccinated, but didn鈥檛 bring the proof.
鈥淏ut even then, people are understanding and seem to not put up a fight or give us grief or anything like that," he said. "It seems like everyone鈥檚 kind of just on the same page whether they agree with it or not.鈥�
In mid-August, protestors stood outside Natalie鈥檚 in Worthington and Light of the Seven Matchsticks in response to the vaccine mandate. Ford declined to comment about the protest.
The protestors were not the only ones unhappy about vaccine mandates. There鈥檚 a bill in the Ohio legislature to ban businesses and schools from mandating vaccines. And proponents like bill sponsor Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), who spoke at a House health committee meeting in May, said it鈥檚 about choice.
鈥淚鈥檓 an advocate for informed choice, the making of health care decisions free of coercion and the right of an individual to maintain privacy as it pertains to their health care decisions,鈥� Gross said.
Hundreds of people turned up at the Statehouse last month to show support for Gross鈥� bill when it got a rare summer break hearing before the House health committee. Lawmakers are expected to take it back up in the coming weeks when they return to the statehouse.
In the meantime at businesses like Natalie鈥檚, Matchsticks general manager P.J. Ford said its vaccine mandates will not just to keep people safe, but give them an incentive to get vaccinated.
