For the past two months, casinos in the U.S., just like in other parts of the world, have been shut down, desperately waiting for the day that they could start to see some type of activity. The coronavirus pandemic has turned virtually the entire world upside down, and the road to normal and stable operations is going to be a long one. The good news, though, is that the recovery has begun, and some areas are starting to see signs of life once again. A couple of casinos in Oklahoma have reopened their doors, and individuals who were shut away from any type of social interaction are now willing to wait in long lines just for a chance at a little gambling entertainment.
At the Thunderbird Casino in Norman, hundreds of people stood in line yesterday as patrons were allowed to slowly move in and out of the venue. The casino is only allowing about one-third of its normal capacity, restricting the number of people it receives through its doors to around 200-225. The property’s GM explains, “It was time for everyone to get back to work, we were ready to get back to work. It just seemed like the right time to do it. We decided to do what we call a soft opening without a lot of fanfare. Every guest that has come in the facility has been very appreciative. They understand and when we tell them to put a mask on, they put their mask on.”
Thunderbird’s sister property, located in Shawnee, OK, only allows around 100 gamblers inside, even though table games are still not allowed. Once they gain entry, they have to keep their facemasks on at all times and have to ensure they maintain established social distancing protocols, which means staying at least six feet away from others. However, both properties will make an exception for couples who, despite having been locked up with each other for two months, want to continue to be glued at the hip.
Other casino operators in Oklahoma aren’t as anxious to pull the trigger on their respective relaunches. The Chickasaw Nation, for example, plans on keeping its venues closed through the end of this week, and the Cherokee, Choctaw and Muscogee (Creek) tribes are still working on determining their plans. Oklahoma has around 130 federally-recognized tribes (several of which are in a fierce debate with Governor Kevin Stitt over revenue-sharing agreements), but only five have chosen to begin welcome gamblers once again.
Across the U.S., casinos are beginning to return to business, a good sign for an industry that has already seen losses that could reach into the nine-figure range. In Oklahoma, around $1.2 billion in federally-provided funds will now be made available to help the state recovery, and Stitt is working with a legislative committee to figure out how best to handle the distribution. He explains, “The legislators on this committee have the pulse of the communities they serve. … Our priority is to ensure these dollars intended for COVID-19 response are deployed swiftly and on target.”
