Page 46 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2020

BUSINESS&INDUSTRY COAST CASINOS
Welcome Back
GUESTS
story by Lori Beth Susman
photos by Lori Beth Susman and courtesy of Beau Rivage Resort & Casino and Silver Slipper Casino Hotel
Taking the elevator from the parking garage to the casino at Hard Rock, I was socially distanced with two other wom-
en. “Excited to be here?” I asked. “You bet,” one replied. “We couldn’t wait for the casinos to reopen.” The second woman added, “And this is our favorite casino.”
The majority of Gulf Coast casinos opened on May 21, with the nal area casino, Beau Rivage, opening on June 1. While the buildings may look the same on the outside as they did when they closed in mid-March, the inside has de nitely changed. Not every restaurant, shop and amenity is open, but enough are for visitors to still have a good time and a winning experience.
“This is the right time to open,” Todd Raziano, executive vice president and general manager at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, said. “We’re doing it in a responsi- ble, measured way. The time is now for us.” Gaining the con dence of guests is important, Raziano said as he showed o some of the new safety protocols in place, like sanitizer and hand wipe stations throughout the casino. Signage is every- where in the casinos reminding guests how to protect themselves and others, and there are signs limiting guests in the elevator to three at a time.
Under Mississippi Gaming Commission’s reopening guidelines, which are in place throughout Mississippi, the number of guests allowed in the casino property is lim- ited to no greater than 50 percent of the facility’s maximum capacity. Limited points of entry allow for each guest to be screened prior to entering. A list of questions is on
display at the entrance and guests are asked to read and answer whether they can respond yes to any of them. Any question answered in the a rmative will result in the respondent being denied entry into the casino.
During the initial screening, guests are also invited to use hand sanitizer and encouraged to wear a mask, which in most cases is provided by the property. As for employees, appropriate PPE is required to be worn by all sta members based
on their duties and responsibilities and in compliance to state and local regulations and guidelines. Inside the Coast casinos, gaming oors have been recon gured, with some slot machines turned o and chairs removed so players cannot sit too close to each other. Only three players are allowed at black- jack tables, and there are limits on games such as roulette and craps. Some areas of the casinos also have Plexiglass barriers to further protect players.
Guests will also appreciate the cleaning procedures put in place. All casino employ- ees are engaged with keeping areas cleaned and sanitized, and the EVS sta has extra duties, including overnight heavy cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing.
FACING PAGE: Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel sign on Hwy 90.
TOP LEFT: Beau Rivage Resort
& Casino.
TOP RIGHT: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
BELOW: Silver Slipper Casino Hotel.
46 | July 2020
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