Five casinos in Arizona scheduled to open this Friday

After being closed for almost two full months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, five casinos in Arizona are ready to reopen. New safety measures have been put in place and the venues will be live once again, with restrictions, on May 15.

Which Casinos are Reopening?

Harrah’s Casino operated by the Ak-Chin Indian Community will reopen by 9 a.m. and will have social distancing measures in place. Slot machines have been spaced to ensure players will be separated. Blackjack tables will have limits as to how many people can be seated. Employees must wear masks and hand sanitizer will be made available throughout the property. The casino has also decided to reopen their hotel. Bingo, keno and the poker room will not be open.

The three casinos of Gila River will be reopening as well, all at noon on Friday. This includes the Lone Butte and Wild Horse Pass along with Vee Quiva. These casinos will limit table game seating as well along with spacing slot machines and provide plexiglass shields between machines to help with social distancing.

Employees will clean high-touch areas using enhanced methods as well as using the same techniques for all machines. Employees will also be tested for the virus before they return to work.

Earlier this month, Fort McDowell Casino announced plans to reopen. They will do so one step at a time and will use a new sanitation and health program. On Friday, blackjack will be made available while bingo will not be back until the 22^nd.

According to the source…

Casino visitors to Fort McDowell will be checked for temperature before they are allowed to reenter the facility. Anyone with a temperature over 100 degrees will not gain entry. Floor markings will be added to encourage visitors to stay six feet apart. Plexiglass shields are going on countertops to separate guests and employees.

Staying Closed:

Other casinos in Arizona will remain closed for a few more days or until next month. The Talking Stick Resort and Casino has plans to reopen on June 1^st. The Mazatzal Hotel & Casino will reopen one day later than its competitors on May 16^th.