Life

Lake of the Ozarks Bar Plans to Continue Pool Parties Despite COVID-19 Backlash

Backwater Jack's claims it's continuing its packed gatherings for financial reasons, despite absolutely none of it seeming like a good idea.

ozarks
Image via Getty/Jena Ardell
Getty

The gathering of the covidiots will continue at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

A manager at Backwater Jack's, the bar that went viral thanks to footage of a Memorial Day weekend gathering despite obvious COVID-19 concerns, is quoted in a TMZ report filed Wednesday as affirming that such gatherings will continue in the future. Manager Andy Prewitt is said to have noted the health concerns of staff, though he argues the team is "equally" concerned about financial matters during an era that's been financially difficult for many around the country.

In the same report, Prewitt is said to have pointed out that other bars in the area were just as busy during the holiday period. He also claimed that the Backwater Jack's team did "their best" to be "quarantine-friendly," despite the fact that a proper quarantine doesn't typically involve drinking in a pool with dozens of other people.

And in a statement to regional outlet KY3, owner Gary D. Prewitt put forth his argument that "no laws were broken" by the viral footage-spawning gathering.

"Social distancing is not a crime," he said, adding that the event name—Zero Ducks Given—has "absolutely nothing to do' with COVID-19.

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