NATIONAL BUSINESS LEADERS CHOOSE OKLAHOMA AS MODEL FOR REOPENING SAFELY AND RESPONSIBLY

OKLAHOMA CITY (May 8, 2020)— Governor Kevin Stitt today joined Life Time, Inc. CEO Bahram Akradi and Dillard’s CEO Bill Dillard II to tour their Oklahoma City locations as they implement proper social distancing precautions and begin to safely reopen. 

“I am proud to see businesses choose Oklahoma as a model for how to reopen safely and responsibly,” said Gov. Stitt. “Life Time and Dillard’s are two examples of companies paying great attention to detail regarding social distancing and cleaning procedures to create a safe environment for their employees and customers.”

Governor Stitt and Akradi toured the Oklahoma City Life Time Athletic destination as it reopened to members this morning. Life Time chose Oklahoma City as the first of its more than 150 clubs across the country to safely reopen after temporarily closing due to COVID-19.

“We wanted to make sure we picked a state that was the most ready – both from the hospitals and the number of cases, as well as the mentality of the state,” said Akradi. “Our members gave us the confidence and the governor gave us the confidence that this is the best place to launch our first location and exercise all the systems we put together, and we are so happy to be part of a community that gives us the opportunity to prove that businesses can in fact open responsibly.”

Life Time Athletic South Tulsa is set to reopen next week. 

Governor Stitt also joined Dillard II, Dillard’s Vice President Bill Dillard III and other senior executives in a tour of the Oklahoma City Dillard’s at Penn Square Mall. The Oklahoma City location reopened its doors to customers on May 5. 

“Leadership matters, specifically in difficult, crisis-type situations, and we are the beneficiaries of good leadership in the states where it’s happening,” said Dillard III. “Oklahoma clearly is in that boat in terms of getting good signals, getting good communication and doing things that are smart and common sense, and then we can go in the wake of that and do likewise.

We all understand what’s at stake here – it’s people’s lives, but it’s also their livelihoods. There’s no either or here. There has to be balance, and I think Governor Stitt is really doing a great job of striking that right balance.” 

Governor Stitt announced Oklahoma’s Open Up and Recover Safely Plan on April 22. The plan is currently in Phase 1 but could move to Phase 2 on May 15 if the data continues to maintain its current trajectory.