By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com
Two casinos operated by Oregon tribes are resuming operations this week as coastal communities edge toward reopening public facilities shut down for two months due to coronavirus concerns.
Chinook Winds Casino Resort in Lincoln City reopened for business at 6 a.m. Thursday, making it the second casino in Oregon to open its doors. A number of protocols will be in place to protect patrons and workers, and everyone will be required to face facial masks.
The resort, operated by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, has been closed since March 17.
“We want to thank everyone in the community, our team members and Tribal members for their patience in waiting to hear about our plans for reopening,” Michael S. Fisher, the casino’s general manager, said in a statement. “We are ready to welcome all those who feel safe to visit.”
On Friday, Florence’s Three Rivers Casino Resort will stage its own phased reopening. The facility is owned and operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians. The tribes’ casino in Coos Bay will open the same day.
That area’s other casino, The Mill Casino in North Bend operated by the Coquille Indian Tribe, opened Monday.
The state’s largest casino, Spirit Mountain, announced Thursday it would reopen June 1, and also require quests to wear masks.
Although not legally required to follow Gov. Kate Brown’s March 23 shutdown order, all nine Oregon tribal casinos chose to close temporarily due to the virus.
Not everyone reopening at same time
The reopenings on the coast are a patchwork, based on emergency orders by individual cities, the state and Lincoln County. Both Lincoln and Lane counties have state approval to enter Phase One of Oregon’s three-stage reopening protocols. That means restaurants, bars, gyms, personal services and other businesses can reopen if they were closed under Brown’s emergency order.
But many coastal residents are still nervous that a flood of visitors who may not respect local protocols of social distancing and wearing masks will lead to an uptick in COVID-19 cases in Lincoln County, which has had just eight so far.
To reinforce that, the governor and mayors of 26 tourist-oriented cities across the state issued a joint plea Thursday for people to limit non-essential travel to within 50 miles of home. The plea explained that many counties are just now reopening, are worried about hospital capacity and the capacity to test and trace new COVID-19 cases.
“But those resources will be quickly overwhelmed if visitors flood Oregon’s reopened communities this weekend and unknowingly spark a COVID-19 outbreak,” the statement said. “We are asking all Oregonians to please keep it local this Memorial Day. Be good neighbors this weekend — stay local and stay safe. If you love the coast. stay home for now and plan your trip in the summer …”
It was signed by mayors of the Lincoln County cities of Yachats, Newport, Depoe Bay and Lincoln City.
While Chinook Winds is opening in time for the three-day Memorial Day weekend, Lincoln City is requiring that motels, hotels, RV parks and vacation rentals wait until June 1 to reopen. That’s the same for lodging in unincorporated Lincoln County, Yachats, Toledo and Siletz.
But Depoe Bay opened lodging inside the city on Thursday, Waldport is opening lodging Friday, and Newport opens Saturday.
At the casinos, reopening protocols include mandatory temperature checks, mobile queuing to avoid lines and shortened hours to allow for deep cleaning. That may feel odd at first in places more known for side-by-side slot machines and shoulder-to-shoulder blackjack players.
But workers at both facilities say long hours have been spent devising ways to still make the experience enjoyable.
“We’ll do all we possibly can to make sure guests have a good time while they’re here,” said Heather Hatton, Chinook Winds spokeswoman. “But there will be inconvenience, no doubt. We will continually reevaluate things to make sure we are in tune with county and state guidelines.”
Casinos will require masks, no smoking
Two expected flashpoints, she said, are likely to be a no-smoking order across the property and a requirement that both guests and employees wear masks at all times. Masks will be available if patrons forget to bring their own, she said.
“I don’t think anyone is going to make a stand against that,” Hatton said. “But if they do, we won’t let them in.
“If it feels inconvenient to wear a mask for the three or four hours you’re here, imagine our waitresses and cooks having to wear them for their full eight-hour shifts.”
During the first phase of Chinook Winds’ reopening, only half of the total slot machines will be used to ensure physical distancing. Keno will be played at kiosks only and bingo sessions will be limited to 200 players.
If the casino has already hit its 1,000-guest occupancy limit, those on the outside will be able to receive text messages in their cars once they’re able to come in.
Similarly, at the Three Rivers Casino Resort in Florence, non-invasive temperature checks will be taken using no-contact thermometers. Markers on the floor will ensure physical distancing and both guests and employees will be required to wear masks.
In addition, the property will close every day to allow for thorough cleaning.
Hotels at both facilities will also reopen. Daily room cleaning will not be offered as a way to minimize guest contact with facility employees.
“We are looking forward to seeing our guests back at both properties,” Rich Colton, Three Rivers’ marketing director, said in a statement. “For everyone’s safety, we are strongly encouraging everyone to be as safe as possible by reading and following our guidelines.”