A reopening phase is set to begin as Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, operated by the Stillaguamish Tribe, is set to open on May 13, and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation is also aiming to reopen three of their properties in Northern Washington on May 19.
Shawn Yanity, Stillaguamish Tribal chairman said, “We have discussed a variety of re-opening dates previously and wanted to ensure all necessary precautions were in place and we were fully prepared to open our doors.”
South Dakota casinos in Deadwood are set to open their doors as well. The Deadwood City Commission approved the re-opening of certain businesses, which starts today. Among the list of properties are the Silverado-Franklin, Cadillac Jack’s, and the Deadwood Mountain Grand.
US casinos were shut down since mid-March in an effort to fight the pandemic, and the re-openings will see strict regulations, such as tightened security, social distancing, and, in some cases, body temperature checks.
Wynn Resorts are also hoping to reopen their Las Vegas properties. In the light of recent losses suffered by the entire industry, CEO Matt Maddox agreed that it won’t be an instant recovery, stating, “It will be a slow ramp. Our pricing power will dictate how full we want our properties to be.”
However, with few casinos already opening its doors and some lining up to resume work in the coming weeks, it’s a positive sign for the gaming industry. A slow and controlled flow of people could go a long way to restarting the stagnant market.
