Over the weekend, Seminole Gaming announce major changes to its Safe + Sound program in order to ensure covid-19 does not become a major problem in their Florida casino venues. The gaming operator is trying to prevent the spread of the virus as the state becomes a hotbed of positive cases.
New Changes
On Saturday, the casinos operated by Seminole Gaming instituted new guidelines for face masks. Guests must now stay in one place if they remove their mask to drink, eat or smoke. Guests are no longer allowed to move about shared spaces with their mask down, even if they are smoking, eating or drinking.
Seminole Gaming feels that such changes will help to improve the safety of employees and guests. Some properties across the US have went so far as to ban smoking and drinking to avoid problems with Covid due to the movement of players.
Gary Bitner, a spokesperson for Seminole Gaming, said that the update to the guidelines was completed to make the mask requirements more effective. They are following other major companies in the state such as Disney in the move to stop people from moving about with masks down. A recording is also played on repeat in the properties to remind patrons of safety guidelines.
The company recently announced that its interactive golf and games restaurant tenant PLA is now shut down due to failing to follow the safety guidelines regarding the coronavirus. The growing number of cases in the state is concerning, so shutting down areas that are noncompliant is essential to protecting customers and employees of Seminole Gaming.
Coming Back From Closure
The Seminole Tribe closed its Florida casinos in mid-March just a few days after the Tampa venue was called on to close due to the virus and how quickly it was spreading. After the go ahead to reopen was issued in May, the Tampa property was the first to reopen in the state.
Guidelines put in place by the Seminole Tribe included temperature checks, reduced capacity at the casinos and hotels as well as mask requirements. In general, customers have been supportive of the social distancing measures that are in place at the casino. The challenge has been for the properties to keep up with the changing atmosphere of the pandemic.
As experts get to know more about the virus, changes have been instituted as to how we fight it. Right now, the best course of action is to stay within 6 feet of others as well as wear a mask when in public. There are still people who do not practice social distancing and mask wearing and in businesses such as the Seminole Casinos, employees are tasked with trying to handle those who do not want to follow the rules.
It will be interesting to see if the Seminole properties have a hard time with this new rule. Will players be willing to stay in one spot while they smoke, drink and eat?
