State officials have slapped $2,400 in fines on the Massachusetts hotel accused of hosting two events last weekend that violated COVID-19 safety standards, including mask requirements and the 100-person limit for outdoor events.
The penalties against the Colonial Hotel in Gardner were handed down shortly after Gov. Charlie Baker, at a press conference on Friday, pointed to its events as one reason his administration would begin cracking down harder on gatherings that flout coronavirus regulations. Baker has cut the maximum capacity for outdoor events to 50 people, among other new restrictions.
The Colonial has now been fined a total of $3,000 for the events. Gardner city officials had fined the wedding venue $600 on Thursday, which was first reported by the Business Journal.
Baker had signaled the additional penalties were coming when he said during the press conference that he expected additional fines against the Colonial to be "significantly into the thousands of dollars."
