Niagara Falls Casino Reopening
After more than six months of forced closures due to COVID-19, some of Ontario's biggest casinos have finally been given the green light to reopen.
Mohegan Gaming is currently mulling over its reopening plan when it comes to the casino resorts it oversees in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Casino are two of the hotspots in the region and they have been closed over the past more than ten weeks.
- The rules govern Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino in Niagara Falls, Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino, Salamanaca’s Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino and Seneca Gaming video lottery terminal sites in Cuba.
- Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino, Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino, and Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino are among the casinos set to reopen in June. This video file cannot be played. (Error Code: 102630).
- NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK—BUFFALO, NEW YORK—SALAMANCA, NEW YORK: (June 9, 2020) After 15 weeks of closure due to the novel coronavirus crisis, Seneca Resorts & Casinos is pleased to announce Phase I of its return to operations will begin Thursday, June 18 with the opening of Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino.
- A list of business categories, recreational facilities welcoming public again.
Operations resumed at 11 Great Canadian Gaming Corp. sites across the province this morning at 10 a.m. Half an hour later, at 10:30 a.m., Ontario reported the highest number of new cases it had seen in one day — 700 new infections — since the pandemic first hit.
Eek.
While in no way connected to casinos reopening, the spike is raising questions about whether or not lifting any restrictions makes sense right now.
The reason casinos didn't reopen alongside other venues as part of Stage 3, after all, is because table games are considered to be 'high-risk activities' for virus transmission.
This is ridiculous. Prioritizing the opening of casinos as Ontario enters second wave is irresponsible and an unnecessary public health gamble. https://t.co/eMMYWzHb8m
— Mike Layton (@m_layton) September 28, 2020Casinos were technically allowed to resume operations under Stage 3, with restrictions including a ban on all table games in place, but hadn't until today due to pending approvals from the AGCO.
'Any plans for re-opening must be independently reviewed by a health and safety subject matter expert and submitted to the regulator, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO),' explained Rob Mitchell of Gateway Casinos & Entertainment Limited to blogTO in July.
Niagara Falls Ny Casino Reopening
Gateway has resumed operations at some of its restaurants, but has not yet announced reopening dates for its casinos, nor have the operators of two popular casinos in Niagara Falls.
Caesar's Windsor will reopen on October 8 with AGCO-approved restrictions in place.
Wow. 700 new cases in Ontario today AND we're reopening casinos? You know who likes going to casinos right? Old people. @fordnation
— June Shoji (@littlehobo1a) September 28, 2020Table games at casinos and gaming establishments remain banned at all casinos, per Stage 3 guidelines, regardless of whether the AGCO has approved their reopening plans.
As of this morning, Great Canadian Gaming Corp. patrons can book appointments to play slot machines for up to two hours at a time.
Hand sanitizers have been placed throughout the 11 major casinos reopening today and only 50 people are permitted inside each venue to comply with current social gathering limits.
Casino Woodbine's website shows that all possible time slots for the next five days have already been booked.
Coincidentally the same day the Ontario government re-opened casinos. What the hell is the second wave response plan? The Ford government is being way too reactive and not proactive, and they're putting profits over people. Their incompetence making things worse. #onpoli#COVID19https://t.co/PgQTOFxFM1
— Matt Müller (@Historian_Matt) September 28, 2020Capacity limits and hand sanitizers are all well and good, but are the measures being taken by casino operators enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
They haven't been for some popular downtown Toronto bars and restaurants, at least five of which were either closed down or warned by health officials over the weekend for failing to follow pandemic protocols.
With new cases surging and Ontario public health officials confirming that a second wave has hit, many people think that allowing casinos to reopen at all is a dangerous move.
'I can't believe it's right to reopen Ontario's casinos in the midst of a pandemic. Up to 50 people gathering unnecessarily, including seniors, goes against everything we've learned,' said Toronto city councillor Josh Matlow Monday morning.
'I know our economy is under pressure, but the price of gambling with public health isn't worth it.'
Today in Ontario as the planet burns and we face the biggest single day increase of COVID cases since the pandemic started and you can’t get a COVID test because we still can’t meet demand but at least you can at visit a casino again. Capitalism is killing us.
— Jihan Abbas PhD (@JihanAbbas) September 28, 2020Some are also confused and concerned to see casinos open just days after all strip clubs were been ordered by the province to close and bars given a new last call time of 11 p.m.
'To recap what's going on in Ontario: Strip clubs are closed but casinos just re-opened, and restaurants now have an 11 p.m. last call for alcohol,' wrote one resident on Twitter today.
'There doesn't really seem to be much rhyme or reason to any decisions. It's mostly just penny-pinching with some optics.'
Meanwhile, the provincial government has yet to reveal what it calls a 'comprehensive plan to prepare the health system for a second wave of COVID-19.'
Ontario started rolling out details pertaining to its fall COVID-19 preparedness plan last week, including an aggressive flu shot campaign and the expansion of testing to 60 pharmacies, but has yet to put forth any official documents as of Monday afternoon.
Mohegan Gaming is currently mulling over its reopening plan when it comes to the casino resorts it oversees in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Casino Niagara and the Fallsview Casino are two of the hotspots in the region and they have been closed over the past more than ten weeks. The tribal casino operator is working on the plan for their successful reopening.
Niagara Falls, Ontario was among the popular tourist destinations experiencing quite the hit as a result of the unprecedented situation around the globe and across Canada. Their casino resorts closed for business and remained closed over the past ten weeks. As the United States work on their business reopening plans, Canada and Ontario, in particular, are also weighing their options.
Gaming Returns
Niagara Falls Ontario Casino Reopen
Mohegan Gaming is seeking ways in which it could reopen its gaming facilities in a safe way and protect both casino staff members and players making their way there. This could happen by following closely all health recommendations coming from Ontario’s government. The tribal casino operator recently made it clear that the government has completed the Ontario Gaming Industry Health and Safety Guidelines.
This would pave the way for the eventual safe reopening of casino locations which is expected to take place this summer. Every casino location comes with its unique layout which would mandate a special approach to its reopening. Fallsview Casino’s reopening committee is preparing to study the safety guidelines once they become public and act accordingly. Soon after that, it would have to devise its plan for action.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation is expected to review the plan once it is ready and give its approval for the official reopening of the casino hotspot. Mohegan Gaming made it clear that the casino venues would like to implement various measures promoting physical distancing. This includes floor markings for keeping distance, as well as plexiglass barriers for the gaming tables.
New Measures Implemented
Some of those measures have already been tested by some casino locations in the United States. They could soon be introduced across Canadian casino venues, as players want to return to the brick-and-mortar gaming. At the moment, online gaming and lottery ticket purchases remain the sole legal gambling offerings available. Individuals would also have to wear face masks and use the sanitation stations across the casino floors.
In the meantime, Great Blue Heron Casino and Casino Ajax are also preparing for the eventual reopening. The Durham region might be among the first to witness in-person casino gaming, as it was recently confirmed by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. A total of 27 casino locations across the province would have to reopen with the mandatory safety measures and restrictions implemented.
Tony Bitonti, Spokesperson for the Crown corporation stated they are working with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and the casino operators. Corey Dalton, President of Unifor Local 1090, also made it clear that unionized casino workers will have their health protected at all costs, as this is one of the main concerns right now. Employees are eager to get back to work in the upcoming months.