The Arizona Coyotes have furloughed half its staff due to the spread of the coronavirus, the company announced Friday.

With the NHL season on hold, the team said it was necessary to let go half of the organization’s employees temporarily given the significant impact the pandemic has had on the sports, entertainment, casino and hotel industries.

A team spokesman would not release the number of employees affected by the move.

“The developing COVID-19 situation is having a huge impact on our community and, like many companies, we are working through the challenges during this unprecedented time,” Coyotes’ owner Alex Meruelo said in a statement.

Read more from the Phoenix Business Journal.