The Mohegan Sun in Connecticut has announced that it won’t reopen before May 12 at the earliest. That’s two weeks later than what the tribe previously announced.
The delay was because of continued worries associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. The casino sent the following to the Republican: “As the health and safety being the top priority of all team members and guests, Mohegan Sun will remain closed to the public through May 12, 2020. Re-opening date options continue to be discussed by working closely with the Mohegan Tribal Council and the state of Connecticut’s Governor’s Office, and by monitoring federal health and safety guidelines.”
The other Connecticut casino, Foxwoods Resorts Casino, remains closed, without an announced reopening date.
Because both casinos are owned by sovereign Indian tribes they are not required to abide by Governor Ned Lamont’s stay at home executive order, but chose to do so.
When Governor Lamont lifts the stay-at-home order it will probably be on the advice of a special task force: the 47-member Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group. The group, which has drawn considerable criticism because it isn’t subject to the state’s open records laws, includes 13 public officials, merchants, restaurant owners and the chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. It is already meeting via teleconference 14 hours a day.
Vincent Candelora, Deputy House Republican leader of the Connecticut legislature, told the Hartford Courant: “I don’t think it would be harmful to have Zoom meetings or have the meetings live-streamed like we’re doing elsewhere so people can see and hear the conversations.”
Leaders of the group will answer media questions once a week, said Lamont.
