ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A local restaurant said it could be out thousands of dollars after the PGA Tour cancelled the Players Championship due to the threat of the new coronavirus.
Because fans won’t be heading to Sawgrass for the rest of the weekend, restaurants like Cousins Maine Lobster won’t be there either. The Neptune Beach restaurant said it has hundreds of pounds of lobster it ordered from Maine that might now go to waste.
Julianne Lilly, the owner, said it’s an event she looks forward to every year.
“It’s the biggest month of our life out here," she said. "Our business quadruples. Our restaurant does good.”
Lilly said the decision will set back her business about $30,000 in sales.
“We have 200 pounds of lobster that we picked that we flew in from Maine, but now we’re scrambling because now we’re done," she said.
Many fans said they felt the entire mood change at TPC after the cancellation was announced.
“Hopefully we’ll all get our money back from our tickets but everybody is trying to stay safe and everybody is trying to be a community," said Brett Morgan, a fan. “It’s really what’s best for the players and for everbody out here to try and stay healthy.”
Lilly said now, Cousins Maine Lobster is going to have to figure out a way not to let their fresh lobster go to waste.
Julianne Lilly, Cousins Maine Lobster Owner, 06-54-39
“We’re probably going to do some special deal at the restaurant is all I can say," Lilly said. "I hope people come and support us because we’ve got the lobster and we’ve been ready to go.”
Lilly says Cousins Maine Lobster was expecting to have lobster specials starting Friday at their restaurant in Neptune Beach.