Masks, no smoking: The last Phoenix-area casinos to reopen will have the tightest safety restrictions

On Friday night at at Fort McDowell Casino, near Fountain Hills, masked employees checked guests' temperatures as they walked into the building. Guests were encouraged, but not required, to wear masks though about half of the mostly older patrons wore face coverings.

Across the Valley, Wild Horse Pass Casino off Loop 202 near Chandler reopened a couple of weeks ago at 50% capacity, but the casino was busy on Friday. Guests filled nearly every slot machine, few wore masks and they didn't always socially distance themselves. 

Many of the Valley's casinos reopened with added safety precautions in mid-May after nearly two months of empty card tables and quiet bingo halls.

Restrictions and safety measures have varied by location, ranging from from increased cleaning efforts and limiting the number of people at each table to more cautious measures such as checking visitors' temperatures when they come in.

But the safety measures didn't mean visitors adhered to them.

Signs on the floor at Wild Horse Pass asking guests to socially distance themselves seemed in some cases to go unread, as several people crowded together, waiting for machines or lining up at the bar.

Other casinos waited until June 1 or later to reopen and are implementing some of the tightest safety protocols. 

As the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community readies to reopen its two casinos on Monday, June 1, the reservation announced that guests must adhere to several strict safety guidelines before coming in the door.

Talking Stick Casino and Casino Arizona, both situated along Loop 101 near Scottsdale, will temporarily implement temperature checks for guests, ban smoking and require that all guests wear masks. Guests or employees who have temperatures at or above 100.4 degrees will not be allowed entry. 

The reopening comes on the heels of the state's highest number of reported cases in a single day, with 790 new cases reported on Saturday.  

At the new Desert Diamond Casino West Valley, which reopens on June 5, guests will also be required to wear masks and have their temperature taken. 

Are people staying distanced?

The parking lot was full at Fort McDowell on Friday evening, but there were no lines to get inside, like when the casino reopened on May 15.

Inside, many guests wore masks, and some even wore gloves as they played slots and sat at mostly empty card tables.

Signs peppered throughout the building encouraged visitors to stay at least six feet apart, and floor markings sought to create physical space between visitors at places where lines can develop, such as at the bar and ATM.

Visitors didn't appear to be congregating, despite limited services and fewer slot machines available.

But slot machines and card tables were full at Wild Horse Pass on Friday night, with most guests not wearing masks. 

Half of the card tables on the casino's main floor had been taken out of service, with Plexiglas barriers between the players and dealers, and only three gamblers at each table.

And, while the casino said it had removed machines to create distance on the casino floor, chairs were full at every machine, with about a third of the machines fitted with Plexiglas.

Teaya Vicente, a spokeswoman for the Gila River Hotels and Casinos, said that some machines did not require Plexiglas because they were repositioned to be further apart.

Fort McDowell similarly did not have Plexiglas at every slot machine as every other machine was taken out of service and chairs removed to promote social distancing.

Safety measures at each casino vary

Most of the reopened casinos have announced newly designed casino floors that have rearranged or removed slot machines to allow for social distancing, installed Plexiglas between some machines and required that all employees wear masks.

But some, like Talking Stick, Casino Arizona and Desert Diamond, have gone a step further and will require guests to wear masks and have their temperatures taken prior to entry.

Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino in Maricopa, Fort McDowell Casino and Gila River's three casinos were the first to reopen on May 15 with limited services and new safety measures.

Of those that reopened in May, only Fort McDowell is requiring temperature checks for guests before entering the casino. Employees and guests with temperatures over 100 degrees are not allowed to enter, and employees are provided masks, gloves and COVID-19 training.

Fort McDowell gradually reopened its facility, with blackjack beginning on May 15 and bingo on May 22. The casino is still waiting on federal, state and health agency guidance before reopening poker, according to its website, and some of the casino's restaurants and bar areas remain closed.

"We are taking a measured approach to slowly reopen our casino resort one step at a time," the casino said in statement on its website. 

Plexiglas has been installed at card tables and at some of the more popular slot machines that can't be as easily separated.

At Harrah's, the poker room, keno and bingo are not yet reopened and the events and conference center, spa and fitness center remain closed. 

Vicente, the Gila River spokeswoman, said she couldn't comment on whether tribes are talking with one another about reopening plans.

While the Gila River casinos are only requiring employees and not guests wear masks, Vicente said that officials meet regularly to discuss whether or not they need to update or implement new safety guidelines.

Desert Diamond's reopening will be phased with limited capacity, reduced hours and fewer amenities at first. Staff at the casino, which is operated by the Tohono O'odham Nation, will gradually phase in amenities and expand hours and capacity "when conditions are appropriate," the casino said in a statement.

For Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort, intensified cleaning will continue for high-touch, high-traffic areas like door handles, and hand sanitizing stations will be available.

The Salt River community said in its statement that it relied on directives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and guidelines from state and local officials to determine its new safety protocols.

"Our goal in reopening is to provide our guests with some much-needed escapism and the fun we have all been lacking in recent months," spokesman Ramon Martinez said in a statement. "In order to do so, it was crucial that we took the extra time to ensure our employees and guests may return to an environment where they can feel comfortable and secure."

Have a tip out of Scottsdale? Reach the reporter Lorraine Longhi at llonghi@gannett.com or 480-243-4086. Follow her on Twitter @lolonghi.

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