Five Oregon casinos reopened last week after a two-month hiatus because of the coronavirus outbreak. Spirit Mountain Casino plans to join them on June 1.
The state’s nine tribal casinos closed voluntarily after Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said that she did not have the authority to include tribal facilities in her mandatory shutdown order issued in March. Five OR casinos are reopening for business. Here are their safety guidelines, hours and everything else you need to know before you go. Stan Dillon, Spirit Mountain general manager, said that the Grand Ronde Casino used the two-month hiatus to put new safeguards in place.
“During the downtime, we have been making preparations for what will become the new normal here at Spirit Mountain,” Dillon said.
“We are pleased to provide a place where you can escape the cabin fever we have experienced the last couple months,” he said.
The Mill Casino in North Bend was the first to reopen on May 18, followed by Lincoln City’s Chinook Winds on May 21. Two Three Rivers casinos in Florence and Coos Bay, as well as Seven Feathers Casino of Canyonville, reopened May 22.
About 100 customers were lined up waiting to get in when Seven Feathers Casino opened its doors last Friday, according to Oregon Live.
Although Wildhorse Resort & Casino reopened its golf course in Pendleton this week, the final three shuttered casinos have not announced plans to open as yet.
According to their websites, Indian Head Casino in Warm Springs and Kla-Mo-Ya Casino in Chiloquin will continue to extend their voluntary closures until a later date.
What to expect at reopening casinos
Each casino has developed its own safety procedures and guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Current guidelines may change quickly to keep up with evolving conditions, said Clark Walworth, communications director for the Coquille Indian Tribe, in an update posted on the Mill Casino website.
“You’ll find some things will look different for a while,” he wrote. “For the time being. we will have limited hours, a reconfigured gaming floor and not all venues will be open.”
What to know about each Oregon casino
Here are the highlights of each casino’s reopening strategy:
The Mill Casino in North Bend
Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Entry: Entry through valet and hotel entrances; exit through main casino doors.
Capacity: Casino floor restricted to 300 guests.
Screening: Guests asked a series of questions per CDC guidelines, temperature monitored, masks provided.
Masks: Employees required to wear masks; guests may make their own decision regarding masks.
Games: The gaming floor has been reconfigured; some machines have been removed; table games not currently operating.
Sportsbook: Open, based on available sporting events.
Restaurants: Timbers Cafe open for to-go only; social distancing seating available at Warehouse 101 and Saw Blade Buffet.
Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City
Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Capacity: Casino floor restricted to 1,000 guests; mobile queuing being implemented to limit lines.
Screening: Infrared temperature checks.
Masks: Employees and guests are required to wear face masks or face shields.
Other restrictions: All areas inside the casino are now nonsmoking and 21 or older only. Outdoor smoking areas available.
Games: Approximately 50% of slot machines available; Bingo, 200 seats; keno, kiosks only; visible markers used to ensure physical distancing; table games not currently operating.
Sportsbook: Open; based on available sporting events.
Restaurants: Limited hours, modified menus, no self-service; Rogue River Steakhouse; Chinook Seafood Grill; Aces Sports Bar & Grill; Siletz Bay Buffet open as quick-serve Mexican grill.
Hotel: All rooms nonsmoking; no daily stay-over service. The pool and fitness center are closed.
Golf course: Open; physical distancing guidelines in place; the pro shop is open 7 a.m. to dusk; fitness center and driving range are closed.
Gift Shop: Open; limited occupancy.
Closed: Child care, arcade, coat check, parking valet, city motel shuttle and fun bus.
Three Rivers Casino and Resort in Florence
Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily
Entry: Valid photo ID mandatory; guests required to lower face mask at the security checkpoint for validation.
Screening: Temperature checked before entry; those with temperatures above 100.4 will not be admitted.
Masks: Employees and guests required to wear facemasks, must bring your own mask. Latex gloves available upon request, but are not required.
Games: Repositioned floor; about two-thirds of slot machines available; chairs removed for social distancing; smoking and nonsmoking areas are available. Poker and craps closed until further notice.
Table games: Limited seating, no smoking; open 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Restaurants: Limited, socially distanced seating; Blue Bills and Riverside Food Court, Bonefire to reopen June 4.
Hotel: Operating with limited capacity; early check-in and late check-out not allowed; coffee, toiletries, etc., available only upon request.
RV park: Available spaces are socially distanced.
Three Rivers Casino in Coos Bay
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Entry: Valid photo ID mandatory; guests required to lower face mask at the security checkpoint for validation.
Screening: Temperature checked before entry; those with temperatures above 100.4 will not be admitted.
Masks: Employees and guests required to wear facemasks, must bring a mask. Latex gloves available upon request but are not required.
Games: Repositioned floor; about two-thirds of slot machines available; chairs removed for social distancing; smoking and nonsmoking areas available.
Restaurants: Cafe 1297 open with limited, socially distanced seating.
Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.
Entry: Temperature checked before entry; those with temperatures above 100.4 will not be admitted.
Masks: Required for employees and guests; masks available at entry.
Slots: Chairs removed; machines sanitized regularly; casino employees will keep guests from congregating in groups.
Table games: Masks and social distancing required; tables/chairs sanitized after each game; signage displayed when the table is ready.
Restaurants: Limited hours, menus and seating: Kabi Cafe; Cow Creek Restaurant plus to-go orders; Stix Sports Bar plus to-go orders. Condiments are available upon request.
Entertainment: All events canceled or postponed through June 26.
Hotel: Front desk will view ID instead of handling; room assignments rotated to maximize vacancy between guests.
RV park: Office open daily 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; pool open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; hand sanitizer stations at the front desk, lobby, laundry, pool building and fitness room; guests encouraged to stay in RVs when possible and must practice social distancing otherwise. Still closed: Play area, clubhouse and BBQ pavilion.
Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde
Hours: 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays.
Entry: 21 years or older only.
Screening: Temperature checked before entry; those with temperatures above 100.4 will not be admitted.
Masks: Required at all table games and strongly encouraged for all guests; masks provided upon request.
Games: Markers on floor and signage to remind guests of social distancing; poker and keno closed until further notice.
Restaurants: Limited hours, limited seating of parties of no more than four; Cedar Plank Buffet to offer three-course, plated meals, no self-service buffets. Self-service beverage stations closed; staffed complimentary soda/coffee stations available on the casino floor.
Closed: Arcade, valet, coat check, fitness center, shuttle and charter buses, convention and meeting areas and business center.