Page 18 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2020

COAST NOTE
Coast Casinos
story by Lori Beth Susman photo courtesy of Palace Casino Resort
Mississippi casinos look a little di erent as they reopen following the Mississippi Gaming Commission’s mandated closure in mid-March. With continued concerns regarding COVID-19, slot machine distancing, extensive cleaning regiments and safety partitions are just a few of the changes guests will notice.
While casinos were given permission to reopen on May 21, Palace Casino Resort in Biloxi had already announced the layout of its slot oor has been redesigned to o er greater distancing and provide more separation between players. Slot
machines have been arranged in a way that
eliminates nearly every instance of side- by-side gaming.
“We knew the game had changed and visiting a casino would not be the same for a very long time,” said General Manager Keith Crosby. “We wanted to go beyond cleaning and sanitizing to provide an even safer casino with greater distancing to avoid gaming next to anyone.”
“There was never a question about what had to be done to protect our customers,” continued Crosby. “We decided early on that when we reopen, we would suspend gaming activity in the casino between 3 and 8 a.m. every day to thoroughly clean and disinfect surfaces, including UV disinfection of gaming chips.”
While casinos have always paid attention to proper cleaning protocols, guests are sure to see new practices in place. At the smoke-free Palace Casino, a dedicated housekeeping sta sanitizes and disinfects the slot machines following each gaming
session. Disinfecting wipes are distributed to guests, who are also able to use hand sanitizer from stations placed throughout the property, on the casino oor and at each restaurant.
Other casinos have similar procedures in place and guests are encouraged to use the sanitizer and wipes often during their visit.
Along with the changes to the slot oor, Gulf Coast casinos have set distancing plans at areas such as the cashier counter and player’s club. Plexiglass shields and other non-invasive barriers are in place to keep both guests and employees safe.
Bu ets, popular for their tasty and abundant food choices, have been reorganized into cafeteria-style restaurants, where guests still get to make their selections, but are served
by employees. And all restaurants are operating at reduced capacity with tables spread out for distancing.
18 | June 2020
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