At Scores Gentleman's Club, a strip club in Tampa, which hosts the Super Bowl, strippers say wearing masks while working is like “doing cardio.”
It’s uncomfortable and sweaty, and ruins makeup. When Tampa was chosen host of the Super Bowl, strip club owners anticipated a windfall. Now, there’s a global pandemic, citywide mask mandates and an attendance cap of one-third of the stadium’s capacity.
Plus, the Bucs are in the game, which means fewer travelers spending money, leaving owners and dancers worried about how this year will shake out.
The last time the Super Bowl was in Tampa was in 2009, but now strip clubs, bars and restaurants, have struggled in the COVID-19 era. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed bars and nightclubs to reopen, and some strip clubs began offering food.
That meant performers and patrons had to wear masks even during lap dances, which puts a damper on things.
Scores has a strict mask policy and tables are spaced 6 feet apart, with leather chairs aimed at two poles in the middle of the room.
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