It’s not just Disney — the Santa Anita Park race track in Los Angeles also announced it will temporarily close for live horse racing in response to a mandate from county officials. The more than 1,700 horses who are stabled at the park are cared for by 750 backstretch team members, most of whom live on-site and are operating under new safety measures, the track’s owners said in a statement.
For Disney, the continued closure of its theme parks is significant. The parks are a major revenue driver for the entertainment company: Disney generated more than $26 billion in sales at its Parks, Experiences and Products division in fiscal 2019, representing 37% of the company’s overall revenue.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and employees remains The Walt Disney Company’s top priority,” the company said in its Friday statement.
Disney’s shares fell 8.5% on Friday.
The company has urged its domestic employees at Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Television, ESPN and at its direct-to-consumer, parks and products divisions to work from home amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the owner of the Santa Anita race track.