Nebraska Crossing Outlets Plan Soft Opening, Officials React

An outlet mall in Gretna is planning to open some stores April 24, before social distancing restrictions are lifted in Nebraska. Health officials say that could be dangerous.

The Nebraska Crossing Outlets are not required to close under Nebraska’s Directed Health Measure. Crossing owner Rod Yates said in an email to NET News that retailers have been asking for the opportunity to reopen.

“There is not perfect time to open,” Yates wrote, “but these stores are not going to reopen by flipping a switch. They need to test and iterate new best practices.”

The mall will provide stores with thermometers to screen employees and potentially customers for the fever that often accompanies COVID-19.

Gov. Pete Ricketts was asked about the mall’s decision Tuesday.

“We didn’t ask them to close. We didn’t ask them to open. But follow the rules. Shop once a week,” Ricketts said. “Again, we’re trying to focus people on essential shopping, essential errands. That’s what we’re saying. No non-essential travel...what we’re really looking for right now is people to make that determination based on individual responsibility here to be able to help slow the spread of the virus here in our state.”

The president of the Nebraska hospital association, Laura Redoutey, wrote a letter to the editor of the Omaha World Herald. In it she said the outlets reopening “poses a serious risk to the health of all Nebraskans” and “this is not the time to take actions that could reverse the trend and nullify our efforts to this point.”