Starting April 30, casinos in Mississippi were informed they can decide which, if any, Covid-19 safety protocols to implement, following the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s recent announcement that all restrictions related to Covid-19 that were mandated on March 4 will be canceled, including masks, social distancing and 75 percent occupancy.
The state’s casinos had different reactions. For example, at Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Regional Communications Director Mary Cracchiollo Spain noted MGM Resorts, including Beau Rivage, will continue to require masks and social distancing. In a statement, Spain said, “We are in the process of removing hand washing stations from the casino floor and will no longer be conducting temperature checks for team members as they enter the property. For the safety of our employees and guests, we will continue to require masks at MGM Resorts properties at this time. As vaccination efforts continue, we will reassess our health and safety protocols consistent with guidance from health experts, changing regulatory requirements, and input from our guests and employees.”
At the Scarlet Pearl in D’Iberville, Chief Executive Officer LuAnn Pappas said, “Friday at 5 p.m., we’re like Mr. Rogers in the neighborhood. It’s the best day ever.” Pappas said she expects at least half the casino’s customers will continue to wear masks, “judging from the text messages I received today. At least it’s their choice now, which is freedom versus being mandated.” She said the venue also stopped taking temperatures. She added, “Any associate that wants to continue to wear the masks may absolutely do so. We are going to keep the cleaning protocols because our guests have learned to love their slot machine getting cleaned between each session. The table games customers liked that their chairs were being wiped down, so we’re going to keep that.”
Golden Nugget Casino Biloxi General Manager Chett Harrison said the venue also will continue to clean and disinfect high-frequency touch-point areas at least once every two hours. “We do that anyway, even before Covid-19. We want it to look crisp and clean every day,” he said.
Palace Casino Resort General Manager Keith Crosby said the decision to wear a mask will be left up to employees. “The first reaction is a sigh of relief that we got a clear indication that our diligence with cleanliness, social distancing, wearing masks and, more importantly, getting vaccinated has paid off,” Crosby said.
Treasure Bay officials said masks no longer will be required but other safety protocols, like Plexiglas barriers and limited seating at some table games, will remain.
Mississippi casinos were closed due to Covid-19 for two months and allowed to reopen May 21, 2020. “Our state I think did it right, taking a period to pull back and see what this coronavirus was.”
Some casinos also have started to book live entertainment. For example, Queensrÿche is scheduled in June at Hard Rock Biloxi and comedian Ron White is scheduled in July at Beau Rivage. Harris noted the Southern Gaming Summit, which was canceled last year, returned to Beau Rivage May 4-6.
Scarlet Pearl’s Pappas said common areas, like the sportsbook, were “less impacted than one would think” since most bettors used the stand-alone kiosks. “The mandates more impacted video poker at the sportsbook bar because of social distancing restrictions,” Pappas noted. She added Plexiglas dividers were installed at the table games but “the biggest issue for us was no one wanted to play with only three people, and that’s what the mandate was,” Pappas said.
Pappas said some of the Covid-19 safety changes will remain, most notably the casino’s buffet, which will become a service instead of a self-service restaurant.
Casinos must abide by state and local rules for ordinances relating to Covid-19, the MGC stated. As a result, masks still must be worn in the six casinos in Tunica County, where a mask mandate still is in effect. County Board Attorney John Keith Perry said, “If you look at our ordinance, if there’s going to be more than 10 people gathered then they need to have a mask on. We don’t want to take steps backwards. We don’t want to do more than necessary because we want to protect our citizens from being exposed to Covid-19.”
Next door in Louisiana, L’Auberge Baton Rouge, the largest casino in the region, also dropped its mask requirement for all guests. A Facebook post stated, “Masks are no longer required for our guests when visiting L’Auberge Baton Rouge. We appreciate your patience during this time and hope to see you soon!”
In addition, L’Auberge has been posting dozens of jobs in recent days, from cashiers to dealers and hospitality workers. The company’s policy regarding mask-wearing was not immediately clear.
