Casino Opened

MT. PLEASANT, Mich - The Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant reports on its Facebook page they will remain open despite Governor Gretchen Whitmer announcing new COVID-19 restriction from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The Casino opened yesterday to much fanfare, but the guest rooms in the 44-story tower, the tallest in Downtown, don’t open until December 28, 2020 (they are taking reservations). 'Pending final approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the Governor’s office, South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa is planning to open on June 4, 2020,' a property spokesperson said in a.

The MDHHS order says that casino's must close for the next three weeks beginning Wednesday.

Gaming at tribal casinos does not fall under state regulation according to the Michigan Gaming Control Board per an article in the Detroit News.

The casino released the following statement on its Facebook page:

In March, 2020 Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel and The Slot Palace & Bingo Hall voluntarily closed for an initial two-week period following Governor Whitmer’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Order. Thereafter, the casinos voluntarily remained closed for an extended period, consistent with the Governor’s follow-on Orders until May 28, 2020, reopening at a time many other casinos across the country were reopening
During the casino closures, the casino management team spent time learning about the Coronavirus and implementing a Health and Sanitation Plan to responsibly reopen. This Plan includes the requirement that all guests and team members wear masks, something now known to be the single most significant safety measure. The casinos hired “Clean Teams” dedicated to the continuous cleaning of slot machines and other high touch surfaces. Every other slot machine has been turned off to achieve social distancing with social distancing markers installed in appropriate places throughout the facility. Acrylic dividers have been installed at close interaction areas, including at all table games. Additional hand sanitation stations and sanitation wipe stations have been installed. All guests and team members have temperature checks before entering the casinos.
Today, we have a track record of success. Our experience with Coronavirus transmission has been that the safety protocols are effective, particularly the requirement that all team members and guests wear masks. Contact tracing indicates that Coronavirus transmission typically occurs outside of the casino environment where masks may not have been worn and other protocols may not have been followed

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For these reasons, we have decided to keep our gaming facilities open under our stringent Health and Sanitation Plan. We do not believe that closing the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel and The Slot Palace & Bingo Hall will reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. Should new information emerge that indicates otherwise, we will revisit this decision. We will continue to review protocols in all areas of our operation and make adjustments as deemed appropriate.

The lights are still on inside Atlantic City casinos.

However, casino operators and state government officials around the country continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of good options for mitigation seems to dwindle with each passing day. New Jersey casinos are by no means an exception to this new rule.

Although Atlantic City properties remain open with restrictions, it’s uncertain how much longer that will be the case. Relevant trends in the Garden State are going in the wrong direction.

The latest on Atlantic City casinos and COVID-19

NJ Gov. Phil Murphy has been upfront with his constituents on a daily basis about the worsening numbers in the state.

NEW JERSEY #COVID19 UPDATE:
➡️4,320 new positive cases
➡️293,744 cumulative total cases
➡️34 new confirmed deaths
➡️14,877 total deaths

The second wave is here. We MUST flatten this curve together. Wear a mask. Social distance. Wash your hands.https://t.co/JW1q8awGh7pic.twitter.com/konGYeQWK8

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) November 19, 2020

On Tuesday, Murphy signed a new executive order that lowered gathering limits for both indoor and outdoor venues. As of Nov. 23, New Jerseyians may only gather in groups of up to 10 indoors. For outdoor gatherings, the limit is 150 people. In both cases, the state expects proper social distancing and wearing of face masks.

As Atlantic City casinos are a significant source of tax revenue for the state and fuel the economy in the area, Murphy naturally had to address their fate. His main position is that data shows the casinos have been acting responsibly throughout the pandemic.

“We believe, based on the evidence that we have, that they’ve been able to responsibly manage their casino floors,” Murphy said during a briefing with other state officials on Wednesday. “Whether it’s through (personal protective equipment), whether it’s through dividers, capacity management, temperature checks, review of symptoms checks with people who go onto the floor, which is happening in all the casinos … there is not any evidence that there is either bad management of the floor or that there is a big outbreak coming from participating on the floor.”

Murphy did not elaborate on what evidence he drew that conclusion from. The most likely candidate is contact tracing for positive cases, which identifies the sources of transmission if done correctly.

The question is whether casinos can maintain their current status if trends continue to worsen. Casino operators seem determined to do all they can to maintain the reputation they have earned.

Casino industry not curtailing business

So far, none of the AC casinos have announced any major plans to further reduce their hours or offerings. A statement from the Casino Association of New Jersey mentions one adjustment, however:

“The Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) understands the administration’s concerns, and that is why the industry has taken extraordinary measures to safely welcome back thousands of hardworking employees and valued guests, while also helping to minimize the exposure of Atlantic City casino property guests, our employees and our local community to the COVID-19 virus.

“We will continue to work to give our guests the exciting experience they have come to expect from our first-class properties:

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  • Casino floor and gaming operations will remain open, uninterrupted, 24/7.
  • Indoor dining outlets will remain open, closing between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. ET, effective this Thursday, Nov. 12.

“As we see a rise in cases across New Jersey, we are focused on the health and safety of our employees, guests and fellow residents and will continue to work with AtlantiCare, our regional health care provider, as well as local and state officials, to refine and update our protocols as local and state mandates evolve. We remain dedicated to complying with, or exceeding, local or state-imposed mandates, restrictions and occupancy limits to try to maintain a healthy environment.”

Casino closings in other states

Despite those best efforts, Murphy’s hesitancy to close casinos for a second time this year may soon make him an outlier. Earlier today, Rivers Casino in neighboring Philadelphia closed.

The well-being of our Team Members, guests & the community is our top priority. We will be temporarily closed effective Fri, Nov. 20, to follow @PHLPublicHealth’s order to close public venues. We appreciate your support!
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Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. pic.twitter.com/HEPtOdWvXg

— Rivers Casino Philadelphia (@riverscasinophl) November 19, 2020

Casino

The City of Philadelphia announced “Safer at Home” restrictions that will be in place through Jan. 1, 2021. The list also includes:

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  • Indoor dining
  • Theaters and museums
  • Libraries
  • Gyms and indoor exercise classes

For now, Rivers Philadelphia is the only Keystone State casino impacted. The other gaming halls are outside the city limits.

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Other states are taking a similar approach. In Michigan, all three Detroit casinos are closed for three weeks. Illinois has ordered casinos within its borders to close, too.

Additionally, Massachusetts has limited hours for its casinos.

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As of now, Atlantic City casinos are still open for gambling.

Casino Opened In Michigan

Murphy might take smaller steps, like shutting down indoor dining, before closing AC casinos altogether. If there’s not a marked improvement in COVID-19 numbers soon, he may have few other choices.