The El Cortez Hotel & Casino was recently nominated as a Battle Born Business by the state of Nevada and Governor Steve Sisolak. The award recognizes businesses in Nevada that have gone above and beyond to implement CDC and state-approved health & safety measures.
In addition to being the first casino to install acrylic shields at its gaming tables, bars and other high-contact areas, El Cortez remains vigilant in enforcing the state-wide face mask mandate to keep guests safe, using 24-hour surveillance to ensure these guidelines are being met by both guests and employees.
According to General Manager Adam Wiesberg, “These are very difficult circumstances, but at the end of the day, you adapt and overcome. From the owners down to the frontline employees, we work together to keep our guests safe.”
- Upon reopening in June after the shutdown, the El Cortez also implemented rigorous sanitization procedures and safety protocols to incessantly maintain a safe experience and environment, including:
- An extensive deep cleaning and disinfecting of the entire property, including hotel rooms, restrooms, floors, chairs, slot machines, tables, walls, carpets, restaurants, bars, employee-designated spaces and all equipment.
- Over 3,000 porous casino ceiling tiles were removed and replaced with brand new, non-porous tiles and all casino ceiling vents were cleaned.
- All air handler filters were replaced just prior to closing and replaced again two weeks before reopening — with increasingly frequent replacements slated moving forward. New air handler digital controls have been installed allowing for more efficient air and temperature control, maximizing the air flow throughout the property.
- 140 slot machines were removed from the floor and the remaining machines were reconfigured to maximize social distance on the slot floor.
- Chairs have been removed from table games to limit the number of players and the dice tables have floor markers to show players where to stand to create the most possible distance between players and employees.
- Floor stickers to promote social distancing have been placed in all locations where lines form.
- Acrylic shields have been installed at the front desk, Club Cortez, the casino cage, Siegel’s 1941, race, sports and live keno and the gift shop.
- PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) including gloves and masks have been sourced and purchased in large enough quantities to make them available to all employees and guests.
- Large volumes of hand sanitizer have been purchased, along with additional dispensers that have been installed throughout the property.
- A new employee hand-washing station has been created in the receiving hallway across from the security office. This area will be open to all employees on all shifts as a convenient, centrally located area for frequent and thorough hand washing.
- Tables and chairs have been removed from Siegel’s, Parlour Bar and Ike’s to create 6-foot spacing between guests and to limit occupancy to 50%.
- Over 30,000 casino chips were professionally cleaned and disinfected by an outside company. Each chip was then coated with an EPA registered anti-microbial solution that prevents viruses from attaching to the surface.
- Signage has been placed throughout the property outlining the CDC guidelines for helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- CDC-approved cleaning and disinfecting products have been sourced and purchased in adequate quantities to allow all departments to keep high-touch surfaces clean and disinfected. An industrial electrostatic disinfecting machine has been purchased, which allows for ongoing high-volume surface disinfecting.
- No-touch thermometers have been provided to each department for the daily screening of employees for fever.
- A new to-go ordering and pickup area has been created outside Siegel’s to limit the crowd inside at the podium.
- Additional security is posted in each section of the casino to help enforce social distance and to quickly identify people who are disrupting guests.
