West Virginia's five licensed casinos have been given the green light to reopen on June 5, while limited video lottery retailers could restart Saturday, May 30, according to a Monday announcement from the eastern U.S. state's Governor Jim Justice.
As ordered by the State of West Virginia, all team members and guests will be required to wear a face mask. The casino will operate at 50% occupancy of total floor capacity. Effective at 12AM on November 14, 2020, smoking will be prohibited throughout the entire casino. Face masks are required to be worn if not actively eating or drinking. Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is now reopen to the public again. The West Virginia casino has implemented several new regulations which are listed below. The installation of floor decals and signage to strictly enforce social distancing guidelines in areas where lines typically form. Penn National Gaming to Temporarily Suspend Operations at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races in West Virginia Read full article March 17, 2020, 6:20 PM 3 min read.
In addition to the gaming facilities, Justice also included a list of other businesses highlighted to reopen in the coming weeks.
Fluid situation:
During the 69-year-old Republican governor's pandemic briefing, he reportedly said that the state's Lottery Director John A. Myers was involved with the development of guidance. Myers was appointed director of the West Virginia Lottery on September 18, 2018, by Justice, who is the state's only billionaire.
Hollywood Casino West Virginia Reopening Dates
According to Metro News, Justice commented about the balance between health and safety concerns and economic activity, saying…
'It's a bad situation and probably the toughest situation of my life.'
And while restrictions have been eased, according to Justice, the spread of coronavirus will continue to be monitored by state leaders and react if a spike is identified.
'This is a fluid situation. Some of these are subject to change,' Justice added.
WV gambling landscape:
The Mountain State's five licensed casinos are Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Hancock County, owned by New York-based real estate investment trust Vici Properties (leased to Century Casinos, Inc.), Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in Cross Lanes, which was acquired by Delaware North in February 2018, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, also owned by Delaware North, Hollywood Casino & Inn at Charles Town Races in Jefferson County, owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. and Penn National Gaming, Inc.
The fifth casino is at The Greenbrier, a 710-room luxury resort in the Allegheny Mountains near White Sulphur Springs that was purchased on May 7, 2009, by the Justice Family Group, LLC, a company owned by Justice, for $20 million. Prior to the acquisition by Justice's family, the resort was owned by American holding company CSX Corporation, which filed for bankruptcy on March 20, 2009. According to the resort's website, The Greenbriar will reopen on May 22.
Hollywood Casino West Virginia Reopening Phase 1
Hotspots removed:
During the announcement, Justice declared that the counties of Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Jefferson and Berkeley would be removed as hotspots.
According to the local news agency, Justice said…
'Under the new system, we no longer have counties under the hotspot alert.'
High and dry:
After confirming the state's first coronavirus case (in the Eastern Panhandle), on Tuesday, March 17, Gov. Justice mandated the closure of all casinos, restaurants, and bars in the state. The executive order temporarily shuttering the state's five gambling facilities left West Virginia casino customers no place to go.
Unlike the neighboring state of Pennsylvania, online casinos are not a fall-back option. While on March 27, 2019, H2934, the West Virginia Lottery Interactive Wagering Act allowing legalized online casinos in West Virginia became law, the projected launch dates have yet to be determined. The closest there is to a timeline isn't until February 2021. The law provides one license for each of the state's five casinos.
The bill automatically became law when Gov. Justice failed to act on it, much like the year prior when he chose not to sign the bill legalizing WV sports betting, and it too became law through inaction.
In addition to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, West Virginia is only the third state to legalize mobile sports betting, online casino, and online poker.
Source: news.worldcasinodirectory.com
NITRO, W.Va. — Casinos around the Mountain State are reopening on Friday after nearly three months of being closed due to COVID-19.
The resorts will be doing so with precautions in place centered around Center for Disease Control guidelines, cleanings of high touchpoints throughout the day and deep cleanings of entire facilities overnight.
Mardi Gras Casino in Kanawha County is one of those facilities opening Friday and introduced an operating procedures plan called 'Play It Safe' with its parent company Delaware North. The company also owns Wheeling Island Casino.
'The health and safety of our guests and employees is our top priority, and our Play It Safe program is focused on that,' said Eric Althaus, general manager of Mardi Gras Casino & Resort in a release.
'We are pleased the state has approved our reopening plan, which we worked on with Gov. Justice's reopening team and the West Virginia Lottery.'
Mardi Gras will reopen at 50 percent capacity per the state's directive and will feature a reduced number of slots, live racing without spectators but with onsite wagering, and simulcast wagering. Neither table games nor sports betting will be available, per release.
Althaus told MetroNews the slot machines closed will have chairs pulled so people know the slots are not available.
However, before walking into the facility precautions will take place for guests and workers.
'Upon coming into the property you'll have to have your ID scanned and temperature checked and affirm that you haven't had any symptoms, signs or been around anyone with COVID-19,' Althaus told MetroNews.
'That's going to be for guests but also associates. They'll have to get their temperature checked before coming into the property every day.'
The 'Play it Safe' program also includes:
- All incoming guests will be added to a guest registry, and their identity will be stored as a record of their visit.
- All guests will be required to wear a mask or other face-covering during their visit.
- An on-site Clean Team has been created, and its members are equipped with Ecolab® multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant to conduct ongoing sanitization of all surfaces. They will help to protect guests by dispensing hand sanitizer and spot cleaning slot machines and other surfaces on request.
- Social distancing protocols are in place throughout the facility.
- Touchless service and payment options are now available at food and beverage outlets.
- Hand-sanitizing stations have been added at the entrance and throughout the facility.
- Air exchange settings have been bolstered to optimize air quality within the facility.
- Some service offerings may be limited or unavailable to help maintain safe social distancing and health and safety guidelines.
Althaus further said those service offerings include limited hours for the Lucky North players club, and food and beverage options will be closed, with the exception of grab-n-go items available at the sports bar. Mardi Gras' hotel will remain closed until further notice.
The casino's hours will be 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily and that will allow the facility to receive a deep clean overnight. The ‘Play it Safe' program guidelines will be put into place at the Wheeling casino.
'We are pleased the state has approved our reopening plan, which we worked on with Gov. Justice's reopening team and the West Virginia Lottery.'
Mardi Gras will reopen at 50 percent capacity per the state's directive and will feature a reduced number of slots, live racing without spectators but with onsite wagering, and simulcast wagering. Neither table games nor sports betting will be available, per release.
Althaus told MetroNews the slot machines closed will have chairs pulled so people know the slots are not available.
However, before walking into the facility precautions will take place for guests and workers.
'Upon coming into the property you'll have to have your ID scanned and temperature checked and affirm that you haven't had any symptoms, signs or been around anyone with COVID-19,' Althaus told MetroNews.
'That's going to be for guests but also associates. They'll have to get their temperature checked before coming into the property every day.'
The 'Play it Safe' program also includes:
- All incoming guests will be added to a guest registry, and their identity will be stored as a record of their visit.
- All guests will be required to wear a mask or other face-covering during their visit.
- An on-site Clean Team has been created, and its members are equipped with Ecolab® multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant to conduct ongoing sanitization of all surfaces. They will help to protect guests by dispensing hand sanitizer and spot cleaning slot machines and other surfaces on request.
- Social distancing protocols are in place throughout the facility.
- Touchless service and payment options are now available at food and beverage outlets.
- Hand-sanitizing stations have been added at the entrance and throughout the facility.
- Air exchange settings have been bolstered to optimize air quality within the facility.
- Some service offerings may be limited or unavailable to help maintain safe social distancing and health and safety guidelines.
Althaus further said those service offerings include limited hours for the Lucky North players club, and food and beverage options will be closed, with the exception of grab-n-go items available at the sports bar. Mardi Gras' hotel will remain closed until further notice.
The casino's hours will be 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily and that will allow the facility to receive a deep clean overnight. The ‘Play it Safe' program guidelines will be put into place at the Wheeling casino.
The Mountaineer in Hancock County reopens on Friday with similar guidelines but will have its restaurants and sportsbooks open.
The casino said it has adjusted hours from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. with a deep cleaning occurring overnight. All guests and team members will be required to have non-invasive temperature checks as they enter the facility, the website said.
The casino will operate at half occupancy of total floor capacity as slot machines and table games will be arranged to allow for proper social distancing, as defined by Governor Jim Justice's office reopening guidelines.
Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races opens at 8 a.m. on Friday with social distancing guidelines and deep cleaning practices being put into place.
At the Jefferson County facility, restaurants offerings will be limited to prepackages sandwiches, drinks and snacks. The sportsbooks and poker room will remain closed but table games open and have a maximum occupancy.
