Tribal casinos reopen in Upstate NY

Tribal casinos have begun reopening venues slowly amid strict protocols to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

US.- Tribal casinos in Upstate New York are resuming activities as coronavirus cases continue to fall in the state.

The most recent casino to announce its reopening is Turning Stone Resort Casino, one of New York’s larger casinos and home to the Empire State Hold’em Championship. It resumes operations today.

Oneida Nation, the tribe that owns Turning Stone, also opened its other Upstate properties this morning: Yellow Brick Road Casino in Chittenango and Point Place Casino in Bridgeport.

Oneida Nation spokesperson Ray Halbritter told to the local site Syracuse.com: “We’re very excited to see people here as we head down the road to getting back to normal.”

The reopening of venues is accompanied by the implementation of several safety protocols aimed at preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus. The protocols involve allowing entry only to those that live within 120 miles of the casino. It allows a wide swath of New York State residents to come and play, but those who live downstate, and closer to New York City, one of the major epicentres of the virus will not be allowed to enter.

The casinos will also require everyone inside the building to use a face mask, introduce enhanced sanitising measures and limit restaurants to seat a maximum of four people at a single table.

The Cayuga Nation was one of the first to reopen its gambling facilities in mid-May, while other tribes in Western New York are planning to launch in late June.