RICK CARUSO
The shelter-in-place order caused a rolling cascade of retail closures for us. In the beginning we were hoping we could keep more businesses open. It soon became apparent retailers would have to close down. Everyone at Caruso Management is staying on payroll for the duration. I think it’s the right thing to do—and I think the return on that investment will come back ten times. I’ve left the properties themselves open so communities can use them for walks and to sit outside. The music’s still on, so are the lights. The other day at Palisades Village I saw an older couple eating on a park bench sitting six feet apart. The nature of first responders has changed: They’re pharmacists, janitors; they work in homeless outreach. The executive chef of our Rosewood Miramar Beach resort is riding around in the back of a food truck preparing free breakfast burritos for first responders. As for my role at USC, we’ve had time to prepare at the Keck Medical Center, and if we need to turn dorm rooms into hospital rooms we’re ready. There’s no road map for this. The guiding light we’ve been trying to follow with everything is: What is the best thing for our community?