Government Shutdown Also Caused "Wedding Party Shutdown" In Old City
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - There's concern that the partial government shutdown, which ended Wednesday night, may have permanently hurt business at a popular ball room space located inside the Independence Visitor's Center.
The National Park Service would not allow the Center to open its liberty view ballroom, located inside the Center at 6th and Market streets, during the shutdown.
"We have lost a ton of business," James Cuorato, president and CEO of the Independence Visitor Center, said. "We have had to relocate a number receptions and private events to other facilities and we had to relocate weddings."
Cuorato says on top of having lots of angry wedding parties now, "it's also not good for the future, because word will get around that if you book here there is a risk that they may close again."