Massachusetts casinos greenlighted to reopen as of Monday

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday that the three casinos will be allowed to reopen as early as Monday as part of Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan. 

The Encore Boston Harbor casino said it plans to open back up on July 12, while MGM Springfield plans to celebrate an official reopening to the public July 13. Plainridge Park plans to reopen on July 8.

The decision comes after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved a slew of reopening requirements last week. The new guidelines include rules and recommendations for screening guests, including a requirement to make hand sanitizer available and a suggestion to conduct temperature checks. Social distancing guidelines for slots include a requirement that casinos turn off every other slot machine and remove chairs, and to either ensure a minimum of 6 feet between slot positions or install 6-foot-tall plexiglass dividers.

There are also reduced occupancy limits based on a formula for total patrons and employees. Commissioners believe the formula will reduce each facility’s capacity to about 25%.

JUST ANNOUNCED: We're excited to share that MGM Springfield will reopen its doors on Monday, July 13 at 10 a.m. EST. We can't wait to welcome you back, safely.

Learn more: https://t.co/AMrDnX8qoz pic.twitter.com/cDtgHUxtfX

— MGM Springfield (@MGMSpringfield) July 2, 2020

The Springfield casino plans to hold a soft opening the weekend before officially reopening. When the casino does resume services, it will have to space out slot machines and other games to keep people at least 6 feet apart to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

“This is a community that continues to overcome hardships by supporting and caring for one another, and it is a privilege to be a part of it,” said Chris Kelley, president of the Northeast Group at MGM Resorts, as reported by Mass Live. “When we reopen our doors, we do so with the health and safety of our guests and employees as our number one priority. The property will look a little different, but the great experience at MGM Springfield will remain the same. We look forward to welcoming our guests back.”

Other minimum requirements for the casino reopenings include a communications plan for informing guests of its COVID-19 precautions; at all significant points of entry and exit, separate ingress from egress in order to avoid two-way guest traffic flow; casino staff to sanitize operating slot machines and chairs as frequently as possible between player turnover and at regular intervals, at a minimum of every 4 hours, among others.

We have missed you and are excited to announce that Encore will reopen July 12 at 9 a.m. We look forward to welcoming you back to Encore Boston Harbor! pic.twitter.com/Rob6hLqC1p

— Encore Boston Harbor (@EncoreResortBH) July 2, 2020

Following the mid-March mandatory shutdowns, thousands of casino workers were furloughed. Wynn Resorts, Encore’s parent company, put off furloughs after closing on March 15 in light of the coronavirus pandemic, paying the roughly 4,200 employees who work at the $2.6 billion Everett casino. The company spent $3 million a day, or roughly $220 million between mid-March and May, to continue paying its employees, the company said.

MGM Springfield told state labor officials in May that it will lay off as many as 1,887 employees at the end of August. The Springfield casino had just over 2,000 employees earlier this year. Amid operational shutdowns, MGM furloughed nearly 63,000 workers, leaving the company with a skeleton crew of its roughly 70,000-person staff in the United States.

Employees will remain furloughed through the end of August, when their employment will end if they are not rehired by Aug. 31. All furloughed employees enrolled in the company health plan will have their benefits extended through August 31 with no employee contributions for premiums.