Iowa: Diamond Jo Casino to lay off workers amid coronavirus losses

A few weeks prior to when Governor Reynolds allowed casinos to reopen, Boyd Gaming announced it would lay off between 25 and 60 percent of its staff at Diamond Jo Casino.

Boyd Gaming issued a warning letter to City Council at the beginning of May; a few weeks prior to when Governor Reynolds allowed casinos to reopen, KWWL reports.

David Strow, spokesman for Boyd Gaming, said in a written statement: "Not everyone who received that notice will ultimately be laid off, as those decisions have not been made yet.  In fact, some people who received the letter have already been called back to work. We continue to monitor business levels and work through our staffing needs, so we can determine with greater certainty how many team members will still be called back to work, and how many will need to be laid off."

Rick Dickinson, President of the Greater Dubuque Development Corp, said because hospitality was among the hardest-hit industries during the pandemic, the recovery process will likely be slow.

"Tourism is a major industry in Dubuque and probably at a higher percentage than most areas in the Midwest," said Dickinson. "So when the Governor announced her directive to close businesses in mid-March, it was a major blow."

However, because of spikes in attendance at restaurants, salons, and casinos since they've reopened, he believes Dubuque will be able to make a strong recovery.

"Dubuque's role is to be the best place on Earth to weather the storm," said Dickinson. "It doesn't mean we don't have the storm, it means we weather it better than most. And already we're seeing people returning to work."

The Diamond Jo Casino is the third major employer to announce layoffs since the pandemic began. Strow said Boyd Gaming has not determined how many staff members will be laid off.

Boyd Gaming said they expect to cut their staff numbers sometime during the first two weeks of July.