Four tribal casinos in the state of Washington have announced plans to reopen this month after being closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Angel of the Winds Casino Resort, which is operated by the Stillaguamish Tribe roughly 50 miles north of Seattle in Arlington, will open on May 13 at 3 pm. In Northern Washington, three properties operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation – 12 Tribes Resort Casino in Omak, 12 Tribes Mill Bay Casino in Manson, and 12 Tribes Coulee Dam Casino in Coulee Dam – will open on May 19.
Casinos in Washington and throughout the U.S. were closed by tribal governments, gaming regulators, and state governors in an effort to slow the COIVD-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Leaders of the four Washington casinos said the properties will operate under health, wellness, and cleaning standards that exceed recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and tribal health organizations.
The casinos will enforce social distancing guidelines, offer customers masks, hand sanitizer and other personal protective equipment, and will only open certain areas of the properties. The Angel of the Winds Casino Resort will also be reopening completely smoke-free.
“We have discussed a variety of re-opening dates previously and wanted to ensure all necessary precautions were in place and we were fully prepared to open our doors,” said Stillaguamish Tribal Chairman Shawn Yanity.
Colville Tribal Federal CEO Kary Nichols said the “number one priority has always been the health and safety of our team members, valued guests, and communities” in reopening the three properties.
The reopenings of the Washington casinos follow last week’s reopening of the Coeur d’Alene Casino in North Idaho, which caters to residents of eastern Washington.
Yanity said the tribe understands “that for some guests, the time might not be right to visit us.” Angel of the Winds Casino Resort is considered a central economic resource for the Stillaguamish Tribal government.
“The closure has had a significant impact on tribal programs such as family services, health services, cultural resources, and tribal elder programs,” Yanity said. “The Stillaguamish Tribe is exercising its sovereignty to support the livelihoods of our team members, their families, and our community.”
