ALABAMA
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ Wind Creek casinos in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka, Alabama plans to reopen Monday, June 8. Wind Creek Executive Vice President Ken Rohman said, “A lot of folks who have been home for the last 60 days are ready to get out and do something. We want to make sure we can give you an escape that is fun, exciting, just like you are used to just in a way that is safe and everybody has a good time.”
Atmore General Manager Tim Ramer added, “We want to offer an environment that we would be comfortable bringing our family and friends to.” That includes new health and safety procedures requiring guests to have their temperatures taken and to put on face masks before entering. The casinos will operate at one-third capacity so Ramer advises visitors make online reservations to assure entry.
Ramer noted the gaming floor, meeting rooms and event center will be closed periodically throughout the day for deep cleaning. Floor markers were installed to encourage social distancing and plexiglass dividers were put up between slot machines. “We’ve also scattered games all over the building to help increase that distance. Guests that arrive in groups will be allowed to play in groups of two or four. But we’ll keep at least two games or an aisle in between those players’ group and the next group,” Rohman said.
Smoking only will be allowed in designated areas. Pools will remain closed. Ramer said the buffets still are all-you-can-eat “but the only difference is–I look at it as a plus–now you have don’t have to get up to get your food. Just sit down, check the box on the menu what you want and they’ll bring as much as you’d like to your table for you.”
ARIZONA
The last Arizona Indian casinos to reopen did so last week.
The Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe reopened June 1, saying they needed to balance health and safety with the needs of the local economy after being closed for 10 weeks.
Casino General Manager John O’Neill declared, “Since the outbreak of the pandemic, our first priority was the health and safety of our guests and employees.” He added, “Our next priority was to look out for our fantastic and dedicated staff and the decision was made to keep everyone employed throughout the period of closure. We are proud to report that we have achieved the forgoing priorities.”
The tribe’s “Play Safe” program employs the typical CDC recommended protocols that most tribal casinos have adopted, (think temperature testing, face coverings for all, social distancing and ubiquitous hand-sanitizers) plus some that are less common, such as no smoking or vaping, a closed poker room and upgraded air conditioning.
A few days previously, Fort McDowell Casino reopened. Unlike many, it encouraged but didn’t require masks from patrons.
Although the safety restrictions are employed almost universally in the state’s reopened casinos, not everyone is adhering to them, nor are they necessarily being enforced.
The Arizona Republic carried photos showing both masked and non-masked players, and noted that signs at the Wild Horse Pass asking guests to socially distance themselves seemed to be largely unread or ignored.
The Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community’s Talking Stick Casino and Casino Arizona near Scottsdale, both reopened June 1. Guests with temperatures above 100.4 degrees are not allowed inside.
The Desert Diamond Casino West Valley, operated by the Tohono O’odham Nation, was looking at a phased June 5 reopening, with guests required to be masked and to submit to temperature scans. Amenities and hours will gradually be added.
Safety rules have been more strictly observed at Fort McDowell, which reopened earlier than most, May 15, which strongly encouraged social distancing with signs and floor markings at places where lines are likely, to show how far apart 6 feet actually is. Its employees are not only masked but gloved and have been given COVID-19 training.
Although it is offering blackjack and bingo, Fort McDowell is still waiting for health agency guidelines before reopening poker.
Wild Horse Pass casino’s slots and card tables were full and most guests were not wearing masks. Some machines were separated by Plexiglas barriers, but most were not. A spokesman said that was because those machines had been moved to create more space.
Although most of the state’s casinos boasted redesigned floors to create more social distancing space, not all require masks. Those that do include Talking Stick, Casino Arizona and Desert Diamond.
Gila River’s Wild Horse Pass, Vee Quiva and Lone Butte casinos are requiring employees but not guests to be masked, but regularly consult to see if they need to tighten those rules.
CALIFORNIA
Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Northern California planned a June 8 reopening after more than two months closed due to the pandemic.
It will reopen with the now-familiar routine regimen of deep cleaning, social distancing, masks for all, limited players at tables and many fewer patrons allowed in to avoid crowding.
The casino will employ a thermal camera system that scans temperatures without touch and if it’s triggered, patrons will be barred from entering. Team members will also be checked with forehead thermometers and will undergo Covid-19 safety training.
Air filters in the HVAC system will be replaced more frequently. These measures, say Dawn Clayton, general manager, “exceed the precautionary standards outlined by public health agencies.”
The casino will reopen in stages that will gradually resume operations at dining establishments, bars and entertainment. The normal Summer Concert Series is temporarily delayed. Restaurants will have limited seating and fewer hours of operation.
Other amenities, such as bingo, will reopen in later phases.
Several Northern California casinos have also announced June 8 openings:
Cache Creek in Yolo County, Red Hawk Casino in El Dorado County and Jackson Rancheria in Jackson.
Three tribal casinos near San Francisco are not in as much of a hurry to reopening. San Pablo Lytton Casino, Graton Resort & Casino and River Rock Casino have not yet posted any announcements.
The tribe that operates the Lytton Casino depends heavily on its revenues, as does the city of San Pablo that gets 60 percent of its annual budget from the casino. The city is now facing a $10 million cut in revenue.
Rohnert Park, which hosts the Graton Casino, is facing similar budget problems and could be forced to institute heavy cuts.
Greg Sarris, chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which operates Graton Casino, said in a statement: “Graton Resort & Casino will continue to fully comply with the safety standards set out by Gov. Newsom.” He added, “We will reopen only when it is safe to do so and when the governor’s recommendations allow as much.”
The Hard Rock Sacramento at Fire Mountain Casino in Yuba County opened last week with traffic gridlock and lines to get inside. Some patrons criticized the casino for being “way over packed. “People were lined up for machines. If you were fortunate to get on a machine, you were stuck there.”
Pechanga Resort Casino in Riverside County, Southern California, the largest casino on the West Coast, opened June 1 after almost two months of being shuttered following an executive order by Governor Gavin Newsom that put most of the state under lockdown. Tribal casinos, although sovereign, took their lead from the governor and closed shortly thereafter. But many have disregarded him when it came to reopening.
Pechanga opened with most of the same health and safety rules (temperature checks, face coverings etc.) that have been adopted elsewhere in the Golden State, but with the addition of a temporary no smoking policy. It is operating at half capacity.
Most Southern California casinos have already been open for two weeks. They defied a May 15 request by the governor that they slow down.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, operated by the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians, joined them June 2. All its gaming offerings are operating at 50 percent capacity, with the same true of eateries and lounges.
Unlike most Southern California casinos, Fantasy Springs will be reopening smoke free, except for outdoor designated areas.
During its second phase, the hotel, sit-down dining, live entertainment, retail stores and bowling will reopen as late as September.
CONNECTICUT
Visitors to Connecticut’s two tribal casinos, Foxwoods Resort Casino and the Mohegan Sun, couldn’t help but notice the prominent signs warning them that Governor Ned Lamont did not approve of them entering the casinos, and said their health was threatened by doing so.
The signs were placed on roadsides by the state Department of Transportation. They warned: “Avoid Large Crowds, Don’t Gamble With Covid.”
The Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes ignored Lamont’s objections, and reopened June 1, the first casinos in New England to do so after more than two months of lockdown. At first they opened at 25 percent capacity. Many of the first visitors were from neighboring New York and Rhode Island, in spite of the tribes’ assurance that they would not encourage visitation by out-of-staters.
Asked his reaction, Lamont told WNPR: “I wasn’t happy about it. I thought we should have waited until late June like our neighbors. I thought that would have been safer for employees, safer for customers and safer for the region.”
He didn’t act on his threat to pull the tribal alcoholic beverage licenses, but did argue against serving alcohol: “You’re serving drinks, you’re inside, people have to take off their masks to drink, they’re doing a lot of lingering. It’s not necessarily conducive to social distancing. If you want to open up your casino safely, I would put that off a little bit and let’s see how we can manage this for the near term. I would strongly recommend let’s not do alcohol up front.”
He and neighboring governors, such as Rhode Island’s Gina Raimondo, had argued for waiting at least until the middle of June to reopen.
Lamont told reporters, “Even a couple of weeks makes a world of difference. You know how long two weeks is in Covid years. Short of that, do everything we can to make sure they open it in the healthiest way possible.”
Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Chairman Rodney Butler quipped that the road signs were “kind of catchy” and generally praised Lamont’s handling of the crisis: “All in, when you think about everything that we were talking about, between he and I and the Mohegans, I think he really did a great job in managing the situation, all things considered. There was a lot of pressure for him to do things that were a little bit more aggressive.”
The tribes followed many of Lamont’s other suggestions, such as putting up signs warning those 65 and older or with preexisting conditions of the danger of the virus. They also closed down some indoor smoking areas.
Foxwoods, the nation’s second largest casino, the opening began with just 200 invited players in masks. But by June 1, 2,500 guests had visited by noon and cars were lined up along the state highways.
One guest commented, “I’m not worried because I’m doing social distancing. The secret is, boost your immune system.”
A Massachusetts real estate broker added, “Let’s face it. We live in the United States of America. Our bill of rights has been taken away: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
COLORADO
The state government of Colorado is leaving it up to individual counties to determine how the casinos in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek will be able to reopen as restrictions from the coronavirus are lifted.
Recently, business leaders and government officials of Gilpin County, which includes Central City and Black Hawk, submitted a request to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for a variance from the restrictions so they can reopen their casinos. Ninety percent of those employed in Gilpin County work at local casinos.
Gilpin County Commissioner Ron Engels told the Denver Post, “I think we have a really, really solid plan for allowing the casinos to open for everything from the capacity on the floor, what kinds of things have to be checked as people are coming in to what kinds of controls you have on the slot machines and the table games.”
Teller County, which includes the state’s other casino town, Cripple Creek, is submitting a similar request to one which was rejected two weeks ago.
“We want to be pro-active,” said Teller County Commission Chairman Marc Dettenrieder. “We are forging ahead.”
The two counties seem to be getting mixed messages about who is responsible for giving them a variance. The state has said bars and casinos are not allowed to reopen yet, but that contradicts Governor Jared Polis, who said during a May 26 news conference that counties would be making those decisions.
Teller County says it is confused and has asked for clarification from the governor’s office, the Colorado Division of Gaming and Department of Public Health and Environment.
Wildwood Casino General Manager Matt Andrighetti, who operates in Cripple Creek, told the Post, “It’s kind of a hot potato right now about where the approval is going to come from for the casinos to open.”
While waiting, Andrighetti said the Wildwood was preparing to reopen—with new protocols that include scanning patrons’ temperatures and using ultraviolet light to constantly disinfect. Crews will cycle through each section of the casino constantly cleaning and disinfecting slots, surfaces and “high touch” areas such as elevator buttons.
“We have been in constant contact with our players, our customers, our employees and there’s definitely a lot of pent-up demand,” said the GM. “We’re looking forward to a reopening for sure, but we also want to make sure that we do it in a responsible manner and that anything that we do isn’t go to incite a large outbreak.”
If he follows state recommendations, that would include limiting occupancy to 30 percent of previous levels.
Casinos in the other two casino towns are also busy preparing to reopen, including bringing back employees.
The state government collects a large amount from gaming. In March of 2019, Colorado took in $12.2 million from roughly 30 casinos. That amount was $5 million this March, due to the coronavirus shutdown. Nothing was collected in April.
Consumers in the Centennial State are raring to go once the casinos reopen, according to a survey conducted by ColoradoSharp.com. A survey of 139 consumers indicated that 75 percent of them would return to casinos “as soon as they’re open.” They also say social distancing measures are “very important” (50 percent) while 75 percent say they intend to wear a mask when visiting a casino.
They were also asked what inducements might bring them back; 50 percent said free play and 30 percent said free hotel stays.
Oddly, 67 percent of those survey said they weren’t interested in using online casinos if the state were to permit them.
INDIANA
Indiana Gaming Commission Deputy Director Jennifer Reske announced the state’s casinos could reopen soon after June 14, the date Stage 4 of Governor Eric Holcomb’s Back-On-Track plan begins.
“At this point we will be anticipating that casinos will reopen at some point during Stage 4,” Reske said. “There’s going to be health screenings for employees and for guests, positions will be spaced out and patrons will be required to wear masks. The occupancy limit is going to be the number of gaming positions available plus 50 percent, which is well below normal occupancy level.”
With the exception of Four Winds in South Bend, all Indiana casinos are required to follow the orders of the Indiana Gaming Commission and must submit a reopening plan before being allowed to reopen.
The Pokagon Gaming Authority, operators of Four Winds casinos in Indiana and Michigan, said its casinos will reopen June 15, pending approval of reopening plans by the Pokagon Gaming Commission. Tribal Council Chairman Matthew Wesaw, chief executive officer of the Pokagon Gaming Authority, said, “We’ve been closely monitoring the data related to the spread of Covid-19, consulting with medical experts and evaluating the potential impact the virus could have on our community and employees.”
Wesaw added, “Although we are a sovereign nation, we’ve also considered recommendations from the federal government, Centers for Disease Control and governors from both Michigan and Indiana, before setting June 15 as our target date for reopening.”
At Boyd Gaming’s Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa in Michigan City, hundreds of employees await bad news. In a letter to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Boyd Gaming announced Blue Chip may have to lay off 25 percent to 60 percent of the casino’s employees, up to 606 workers, plus another 516 at its casino in Florence.
Vice President Corporate Human Resources Chris Smith wrote, “Like many businesses across the country and in our industry, Boyd Gaming has been significantly affected by Covid-19 and the mandatory closures of all of our properties since mid-March. Because of mandatory closures, guest limitations imposed by various regulatory authorities, and overall economic conditions due to the pandemic, Boyd Gaming anticipates that it will conduct permanent layoffs.” The layoffs will take effect between July 1 and July 14.
Reske says she believes most casinos will bounce back from the closures. “The state depends on gaming revenue at $600 million per year before the pandemic,” she said. “So as we start to look at all these plans and closer to opening, I think we are encouraged by the level of commitment the casinos have.”
IOWA
In Iowa, the Winnebago Tribal Council determined the WinnaVegas Casino Resort in Sloan will remain closed until further notice due to concerns over increasing cases of Covid-19 on the Winnebago Indian Reservation. The council will reconvene on June 12 to reconsider reopening the casino resort.
WinnaVegas General Manager Mayan Beltran said, “This was a tough decision but this is all about protecting the safety and well-being of our employees, guests and surrounding communities,. We will continue to monitor the data released by local and state public health agencies and will make a decision to reopen when we feel confident that our community as a whole is safe.”
The Diamond Jo Worth Casino in Northwood, closed since March 17, planned to reopen June 8. But owners Boyd Gaming recently informed employees that 25 percent to 60 percent of them could be laid off. Boyd Gaming Vice President Corporate Human Resources Chris Smith said the layoffs would be take effect from July 1 to July 14 as the company “better understands business volumes following reopening.”
Smith said team members who are not laid off could perhaps be furloughed for longer than six months. Furloughed employees who are enrolled in a company health program will be covered through July 31.
A Boyd Gaming statement read, “While we are trying to be as transparent as possible with our team members, we cannot determine at this time exactly how many team members will be recalled to work, and how many will need to be laid off. As a result, in accordance with applicable laws, we are providing notice to a portion of our workforce of the possibility for layoffs.”
Diamond Jo Worth requires customers to have health screenings before being allowed to enter. Hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the property. Slot machines, table games and restaurant and bar seating have been rearranged to maintain social distancing.
MARYLAND
Maryland Live! Casino & Hotel last week became the latest of the six casinos in the state to announce details of safeguards against the spread of Covid-19 it will implement upon reopening.
According to several local broadcast news report, Maryland Live! will initially limit casino capacity to between 25 percent and 50 percent. All employees and guests will be screened for temperature upon entry, and anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will be denied entry.
Some slot machines will be disabled to promote safe social distancing, and others will be separated by physical Plexiglas dividers. Chips, dice and other gaming equipment will be continuously sanitized, as will chairs and other furniture.
The property’s restaurants will use single-use menus, disposable plastic utensils and plates. Customers will be given hand sanitizer to restaurant when they are seated.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has yet to announce when casinos can reopen. Casino operators are complaining that neighboring Delaware reopened its casinos June 1, noting that some revenue that has been absent for more than two months is now crossing the border into another state.
“The bottom line is… Delaware has decided they can open safely,” said state Rep. Andy Harris in an interview with 47 ABC. “I think we can open safely. Otherwise, we’re going to lose our revenue to Delaware. That’s a real shame when all the local jurisdictions as well as the state are complaining revenue projections are going down. Why wouldn’t we want to retain the revenue here in Maryland?”
MASSACHUSETTS
Encore Boston Harbor, the Bay State’s largest casino, last week announced staffing cuts in advance of any planned reopening. It will cut off its part-time workers, which it had been paying, and furlough about one-tenth of its full-time force. Some percentage of the 4,200 employees will see their hours cut.
The casino, located in Everett, closed March 15. Wynn Resorts has paid out about $220 million in salaries company-wide since the pandemic closed all of its properties. It has also offered the most generous compensation benefits of the three casinos in the state, which includes MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park.
Wynn has endured several body blows during the pandemic, not just in the U.S., but at its properties in Macau. It is just reopened last week in Las Vegas.
The furloughs in Massachusetts adds to an already hard-hit workforce where 1.4 million have filed for unemployment.
MICHIGAN
The Health Department of Northwest Michigan recently announced that people who visited the Odawa Casino in Odawa, Michigan on May 29 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. may have had “low-risk exposure” to the Covid-19 virus.
The public has been notified because contact tracing could not identify all individuals the infect person may have come into close contact with.
The health department recommended anyone who was at the casino during the stated time period should self-monitor for through June 12, which would be 14 days from possible exposure.
Those individuals should watch for Covid-19 symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, plus less common symptoms like fatigue, loss of taste and smell and diarrhea, and contact their primary care physician for testing or the health department should they develop any symptoms.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer allowed Northern Michigan bars and restaurants to reopen with new health and safety precautions on May 22, although much of the state remains under a stay-home order through June 12. As a tribal casino, Odawa Casino is not under the jurisdiction of state and reopened Friday, May 29.
Meanwhile, FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek, owned by the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, reopened June 1, following a private invitation-only soft opening over the weekend. It closed March 16 due to Covid-19.
CEO Kathy George and other officials greeted customers at the door. “I think we were all a little nervous about today and how it was going to go. But it’s been great. But just excited to have everyone join us and have our family back together again. Today we are back and up and running and people have come in with their face coverings, getting their temperatures checked and we are trying to be safe.”
George said customers can log into a new app available on the FireKeepers website that keeps track of the gaming-floor capacity and lets people know how many machines are available. Employees and patrons must have their temperature taken and enter through separate doors. Numerous other health and safety precautions have been implemented, George said.
“The governors of many states have said certain business are essential to their government and to make their world work for them,” she said. “As you know, any tribe is a sovereign nation and have their own government. We have said we are an essential business to the tribe, the tribe needs the resources that are created through FireKeepers for the well-being of the entire tribe.”
MISSISSIPPI
A funny thing happened in Mississippi when casinos were allowed to reopen on May 21: gross gaming revenues for May 21-25 were $33.9 million—$5 million more than the $28.9 million generated during the same period in 2019, according to the Mississippi Gaming Commission. And that was accomplished without a penny from Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, the state’s largest casino, which reopened June 1.
Closed since mid-March due to Covid-19, Mississippi casinos were allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity with new health and safety precautions, including masks and temperature checks for all casino employees and social distancing requirements.
Governor Tate Reeves said, “What we know is there’s a lot of pent-up demand out there.”
At Silver Slipper Casino in Bay St. Louis, gross gaming revenue increased by 12.3 percent even with nearly 16 percent fewer customers over the first five days the casino was open, according to statement from parent company Full House Resorts. Only 392 of its 855 total slot machines were available and only three positions instead of the usual six were open at table games.
MISSOURI
After the Missouri Gaming Commission and St. Louis officials lifted their March 17 shutdown orders due to Covid-19, several of Missouri’s 13 casinos reopened on June 1.
Eldorado Resorts’ Lumiere Place in downtown St. Louis was first casino in the metro area to reopen at 9 a.m., followed at 11 a.m. by Ameristar St. Charles. Casinos in St. Louis County, including River City in Lemay and Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights, and Metro East in Illinois remained closed.
Observers estimated about 100 enthusiastic people were in line to enter Lumiere—some arriving as early as 6:30 a.m. Many were elderly and most wore masks and followed social distancing.
Eldorado’s Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville also reopened Monday, June 1.
after closing for more than two months. Eldorado President and Chief Operating Officer Anthony Carano said, “As we resume operations at our properties across the country, the health and safety of our team members and guests continues to be our number one priority. We look forward to providing the outstanding service and experiences Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville is known for.”
Several policy changes were established, including requiring employees to wear masks, shutting off every other slot machines and limiting table game players. Guests are strongly encouraged but not required to wear masks; free masks and gloves are available. Also, hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the facility and enhanced cleaning has been implemented.
The Isle of Capri in Boonville will operate from 8 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (ending technically the next day).
At Ameristar St. Charles, several hundred people were on the gaming floor within one hour of opening. Gerald Parmentier, 81, of Washington, Missouri, he and his wife visited the casino a few times a week. “Everybody’s wearing a mask, or most everybody. That’s better than going to the Walmart,” he said.
Last year, Ameristar had 5.3 million admissions, more than Lumiere’s 4.1 million and 350,000 more than the state’s second-busiest casino, River City.
Ameristar staff must wear masks and have their temperatures checked daily. Guests are not required to wear masks but staff will pass out free ones as patrons enter. Floor capacity is limited to 50 percent and every other slot was turned off; only four people instead of six may sit at a blackjack table. However, observers said people stood shoulder-to-shoulder at some craps tables.
David Strow, vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming, owner of Ameristar and 28 other casinos nationwide, said at gaming tables, dealers place cards face up, so players don’t have to touch them. Chips and dice are regularly sanitized and people are encouraged to frequently wash their hands after touching them. Every night, a large fog machine will disinfect and sanitize the gaming floor, Strow said.
He noted most of the restaurants remain closed for now; prepackaged items will be available. Valet parking is not currently. The hotel is also operating at half capacity.
Most of the venue’s employees were furloughed in April, and Boyd Gaming informed the state last month that 25 percent to 60 percent of employees could be laid of permanently, depending on revenue. “The range in that letter really reflects that uncertainty. It’s an honest statement of we don’t know what that’s going to look like two months from now, we don’t know what our business levels are going to look like, what our staffing levels are going to look like,” Strow said.
He added he hopes visitors will come back to ease the stress of being ordered to stay home. “People do need that escape. They still need entertainment and so we can continue to offer them that,” Strow said.
Missouri Gaming Commission Board Chairman Mike Leara said Missouri Highway Patrol officers will be stationed inside the opened casinos to make sure people follow the new rules. “If social distancing is not being practiced, I am sure they will bring that to the attention of management,” Leara said.
NEW MEXICO
Officials at Navajo Gaming said all its properties went through deep biohazard cleaning and sanitation processes during the temporary closures. Within the next two weeks, the tribal operator expects to have all its team members back to work with training on the use of PPEs and COVID-19 mitigation protocols. Each venue will open at 50 percent capacity and under a six-foot social distancing requirement.
Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprises officials announced their four casino hotels, closed since March 17, will reopen in mid-June, though no specific date was mentioned. The properties are Fire Rock, Northern Edge and Flowing Water casinos in New Mexico and Twin Arrows in Arizona. Navajo Gaming Board Chairman Quincy Natay said, “Within the next two weeks, we hope to have all our team members returning back to work in a sterile clean environment with training on the use of PPEs and Covid-19 mitigation protocols according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.”
Natay said each property has undergone deep biohazard cleaning and sanitation processes, and all surfaces that are touched or breathed on from the floor to ceiling have had electrostatic spraying. Upon reopening, venues will operate at 50 percent capacity with social distancing maintained. Guests and team members will be required to have their temperature taken and wear face masks, among other health and safety precautions.
Interim CEO Brian Parrish stated, “We continue to monitor this pandemic and follow all protocols set forth by the Navajo Nation Department of Health and U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.”
OREGON
Spirit Mountain Casino, operated by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde near Portland, reopened on June 1 after being closed for 74 days.
Patrons will be greeted at the entrance by “safety ambassadors,” who will educate them about the newly adopted safety measures. They will remind them to “socially distance.”
In the interim staff has thoroughly deep cleaned the common areas and trained in safety protocols.
Although face coverings will not be required, they will be strongly suggested by the casino management. Table games are the exception: there masks will be required because of how close players and dealers are. Masks will always be worn by employees.
The number of guests gathered around the tables will also be limited. Half of the slots will be covered.
The Cedar Plank Buffet will no longer be a buffet, but will serve items ordered from the menu.
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island’s Twin River Casino Hotel in Lincoln and Tiverton Casino Hotel, both owned by Twin River Worldwide Holdings Inc. planned to reopen by June 8.
At first, patrons will be limited to invited guests who are members of Twin River’s rewards program, with health and safety measures that will include temperature scanning and masks for all.
Even once the venues are open to the public, they will be limited to 25 percent capacity—about 350 at any one time—with slot machines spaced six feet apart and virtual table games without live dealers. Initially, the casinos will be smoke-free.
The casinos will be open from 10 a.m. to midnight each day.
The Lincoln property will be divided into three min-casinos with separate entrances. Once guests enter they will be issued color-coded wrist bands and limited to their assigned room.
The reopening of the Tiverton casino created a minor crisis between the town and the casino; the Tiverton administrator was deeply offended that he wasn’t included in reopening meetings between state officials and casino officials.
“I was livid,” Town Administrator Christopher Cotta told the Providence Journal on June 1, after only learning about the opening three days earlier, just as the governor was about to announce it. “We should have been brought to the table.” He added, “We’re not very happy the way this has transpired.”
He said he wanted to be aware of discussions that would affect the city’s police and firefighters that are assigned to the casino.
This slap added to frustration caused when the town was told that the state did not intend to honor its agreement to pay the town at least $3.1 million it is owed from casino revenue this year—revenue that was not raised because the casinos were closed.
WASHINGTON
Washington’s Northwood Casino in Lynden, owned by the Nooksack Tribe, reopened June 1 after being closed since March 17. It introduced a new protocol of health and safety similar to that employed by most reopened casinos across the U.S. Such temperature checks at the entrances, guides to help patrons social distance and clear plastic dividers to separate slot machines and a limited number of table games.
Some restaurants, such as Chefs, will be open, while others won’t open during this first phase.
The casino advised customers: “While no protocol can completely eliminate risks, we are doing everything we can to create a safe and fun place for our guests and staff.”
No tribal member has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The casino will be closed several hours each day to allow for deep cleaning and sanitizing.
Previously the Lummi Nation reopened the Silver Reef Casino Resort.
The Cowlitz tribe reopened its ilani Casino after 70 days of being dark. The reopening was celebrated with a traditional ribbon-cutting and 200 invited guests.
Tribal Chairman Bill Iyall told guests, “We are pleased now to reopen ilani so it can keep providing support for our tribe and our community.”
The casino has Covid-inspired safety and health protocols such as facial coverings for all, enforced social distancing and temperature scanning. Those with fevers are turned back.
A new twist: the casino has plans to track guests who report catching the virus after visiting. The interior has been rearranged to discourage crowds. Some slots have been shut off and Plexiglas dividers added to tables to create social distancing. Restaurants are reconfigured to accept fewer customers with more distance between them.
Since there will be no entertainment for a while, the Cowlitz Ballroom may be used to expand the gaming floor.
Other Washington casinos are reopening, to the evident displeasure of Governor Jay Inslee, who declared in a statement to the press: “I have expressed to the tribes I would very much be more pleased if their openings were consistent with some of the business openings in our state.”
WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia casinos reopened June 5 with new health and safety precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. The casinos have been closed nearly three months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mardi Gras Casino in Kanawha County introduced the Play It Safe plan, developed by parent company Delaware North; it also owns Wheeling Island Casino where the same procedures were introduced. Mardi Gras General Manager Eric Althaus said, “The health and safety of our guests and employees is our top priority, and our Play It Safe program is focused on that. We are pleased the state has approved our reopening plan, which we worked on with Governor Justice’s reopening team and the West Virginia Lottery.”
Althaus said employees and guests will have their temperature check before being allowed into the casino, which will operate at half capacity, and they’ll be required to wear face masks. Slots will be reduced and table games and sports betting will not reopen yet. Live racing will take place without spectators but on-site and simulcast wagering will be offered.
Other new procedures include an on-site Clean Team equipped with Ecolab multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant to sanitize surfaces and clean slots after each use. Air exchange settings have been increased to maximize quality within the facility. Social distancing will be maintained and touchless service and payment options are available at food and beverage outlets. Casino hours have been reduced for deep cleaning overnight. The hotel remains closed.
The Mountaineer in Hancock County has similar new health and safety procedures, operating at half capacity with slot machines and table games arranged for social distancing. Also guests and staff will be required to have temperature checks before entering.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races also has implemented social distancing guidelines and deep cleaning practices. The sportsbook and poker room will remain closed but table games will be open with limited occupancy. Restaurant service will include prepackaged items.
