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The coronavirus’ latest cancellation: Lucy the Elephant’s Airbnb stays

Six guests were scheduled to stay overnight in Lucy from Tuesday through Thursday.

The winners of a chance to spend a night Margate's iconic Lucy the Elephant through Airbnb will have to wait until later this year.
The winners of a chance to spend a night Margate's iconic Lucy the Elephant through Airbnb will have to wait until later this year.Read moreCourtesy AirBnB

Tuesday was supposed to be the first day since 1902 that someone stayed overnight in Margate’s iconic Lucy the Elephant.

But the six guests from New Jersey and Pennsylvania who were scheduled to stay Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the Jersey Shore landmark will have to wait. Like much of the rest of the two states, Lucy is closed for business as the country tries to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

» READ MORE: Lucy the Elephant’s Airbnb listing booked in seconds. Meet the lucky guests.

“In light of the recent guidelines issued by local health officials, the closure or significant reduction in services at casinos, restaurants, bars and other facilities statewide — and in consultation with the six guests — the Save Lucy Committee has voluntarily and temporarily postponed the three stays scheduled to take place in Lucy the Elephant this week,” Airbnb said in a statement. “This decision was not made lightly, and Airbnb supports the Save Lucy Committee in this course of action.”

There are no reports of a person infected with the coronavirus’ visiting Lucy, and this decision was made “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the statement.

The six-story elephant, a National Historic Landmark, was listed on Airbnb for the first time last month in an attempt to garner wider support for Lucy as she prepares for a major renovation.

Airbnb contacted the guests and gave them the option to postpone their stays.

Rich Helfant, executive director of the nonprofit Save Lucy Committee, which preserves and maintains the elephant, said the committee and the guests decided to delay the stays before New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ordered businesses closed once members heard the casinos were going to close.

» READ MORE: Lucy the Elephant is on the market — as an Airbnb Shore rental

“So much of the guests’ experience was to enjoy not just Lucy but the surrounding area," Helfant said. “Our goal is to bring the guests in as soon as we can" after the worst has passed and the country starts to get back to normal.

Airbnb said it is hoping that will be as early as this summer, the Shore’s — and Lucy’s — busy season.