Four of Michigan's 12 federally recognized tribes have announced that they will start opening their casinos as early as May 29.
The four tribes, Bay Mills Indian Community, Gun Lake Tribe, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, operate a combined seven casino and gaming sites across Michigan. This includes:
- Bay Mills Resort and Casino (Bay Mills Indian Community)
- Kings Club Casino (Bay Mills Indian Community)
- Gun Lake Casino (Gun Lake Tribe)
- FireKeepers Casino (Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi)
- Soaring Eagle Casino (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe)
- Soaring Eagle Slot Palace (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe)
- Saganing Eagles Landing Casino (Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe)
Each tribe's reopening date may vary as certain regions within the state begin to phase open. Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort says it will open on May 29 to a limited number of invited guests, with a broader reopening on June 1.
Firekeepers Casino also plans to open on June 1, with a soft open by invitation starting May 29.
"The Nottawaseppi Band of Potawatomi is a soverign nation," said Kathy George, CEO of FireKeepers, "and is reliant upon the revenues from the casino and for the success and solvency of the tribe. We are essential. We are the ones who provide the resources so we can provide services to all the tribal members."
Little River Casino, which is operated by the Little Band of Ottawa Indians, separately announced that it will be reopening on June 1 at 8 a.m.
The casinos voluntarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but sovereign tribal governments have jurisdiction of their territories and can determine when to reopen outside of state orders.
“We believe the state’s efforts to flatten the curve are working and have worked. We have positioned ourselves to safely open and welcome our guests’ return,” said Jamie Stuck, chairperson of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi Tribal Council. “COVID-19 has impacted all aspects of everyday life and, as such, the casinos will operate under a ‘new normal.”
The casinos will implement new procedures and protocols, including:
- Limiting the number of guests inside the casino
- Checking the temperature of guests before entrance and denying entry to those with a temperature of 100.4 F, in accordance with CDC guidelines
- Requiring staff to wear personal protective equipment, which includes masks and gloves
- Limiting the number of available slot machines and table games for play to adhere to social distancing guidelines
- Enhanced cleaning procedures for monitoring and sanitizing common touch points throughout the casino
- Enforcement of hygienic practices for staff and guests
- Reducing food and drink service options to limit human-to-human contact
- Dedicating a portion of team members to continuously clean and sanitize
"I think we waited until the time where we thought we could keep people healthy with all the protocols we put in place," said George.
Each tribes' new procedures will vary, but they are overseen by a tribal gaming commission who regulates many aspects of the casinos and gaming sites.
FireKeepers has also announced no smoking inside the casino.
“Tribal casinos in Michigan have over 30 years of experience in a fast-paced, evolving environment,” said Timothy J. Davis, chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Tribal Council. “Just as they have adapted to the changing gaming landscape, they’ve undergone meticulous care in devising new procedures in order to ensure healthy and safe practices.”
Some of the casinos are doing soft openings to test their protocols before completely opening. The public should check the casino's website for opening information.
More stories on 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.