The Chainsmokers' Promoters Fined $20,000 for Lack of Social Distancing at New York Drive-In Concert

The Chainsmokers
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Safe & Sound

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the group would be fined for 'violating an executive order.'

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says The Chainsmokers' concert promoters will pay after the group's July event violated state social distancing mandates.

On Tuesday, Cuomo tweeted, "Following an investigation into the Chainsmokers concert in the Hamptons this summer, the promoters will be fined $20,000 for violating public health law. Further, the Town of Southampton cannot approve permits for group gatherings without State approval."

This comes months after the governor announced that the Department of Health was looking into The Chainsmokers' charity fundraiser concert in the Hamptons, which was advertised as a drive-in event. However, it quickly devolved into something much closer to a traditional concert, with many eventgoers standing side-by-side in front of the stage.

Cuomo took to Twitter days after and shared a video from the July event, expressing his outrage that it occurred after the city implemented regulations and guidelines to battle the spread of the coronavirus.

Crowds gather at The Chainsmokers drive-in concert on July 25, 2020 in Water Mill, New York. - Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Safe & Sound

"Videos from a concert held in Southampton on Saturday show egregious social distancing violations. I am appalled," Cuomo tweeted at the time. "The Department of Health will conduct an investigation."

The governor added, "We have no tolerance for the illegal and reckless endangerment of public health."

There were an estimated 2,000 people in attendance at the event, with ticket packages ranging from $850 to VIP options for $25,000 for the charity event, Deadline reports.

The venue and the promoters claimed, in a report by Buzzfeed, that attendees were grouped and cordoned off into smaller groups by ropes and dividers and that temperature checks were taken before entry.

At the time, however, the state had banned all non-essential gatherings of more than 50 people.

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