Casinos to reopen July 5 with precautions in place
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Fire Rock Casino patrons are met with this sign after the Navajo Nation’s four casinos were shut down due to concerns over the coronavirus. All four of the tribe’s casinos are scheduled to reopen on July 5.
WINDOW ROCK
Gamblers waiting for one of the four Navajo casinos to open will have to keep waiting.
The slated reopening, which was supposed to be Monday, was extended to July 5, according to a news release from Michele J. Crank, Executive Director of Communications and Public Relations, Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise
Crank stated the Navajo Gaming board approved the extension on Thursday night.
Gaming board Chairman Quincy Natay said the board will continue working with the tribal president’s office.
Crank said all four Navajo casinos will be cleaned and sanitized and health and safety precautions for casino patrons and its employees that “exceed industry gaming standards.”
A survey was sent out asking patrons about concerns regarding the coronavirus. Their feedback would be “incorporated in the reopening protocols,” she said.
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Interim CEO Brian Parrish said “exhaustive due diligence” was undertaken to ensure the health and safety of its customers and employees.
Crank listed a number of measures that would take effect when they reopen, including employees being required to wear masks. Patrons would be issued a mask if they do not have one, but would not be required to wear one.
Employees will be trained on infections, disease prevention, and mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
Crank said the casinos would operate at 50 percent capacity, require six feet social distance, instruct everyone to keep hands washed, have hand sanitizer available and other precautionary measures.
Devices to detect a person’s temperature will also be used on everyone, the press release stated.
“Patrons and team members with temperatures of 100.4 or higher will not be allowed to enter,” the release said.
Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow