Chumash Casino to Reopen in New, Pandemic-Safe Environment
Following Three-Month Closure, Main Casino Floor to Open Noon on June 10
Keno, Wheel of Fortune, Jackpot, and all other forms of slot-machine escape are making a comeback in Santa Barbara County on June 10 when the Chumash Casino reopens after 12 weeks.
“We stood with our community when we elected to close our doors back in March, and we continue to stand with them with the extreme business modifications we’ve made with health and safety in mind,” said Kenneth Kahn, Tribal Chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.
One of the most rigid measures the casino implemented requires that all guests and employees use non-contact temperature screening devices, called WelloStationX, before entering the building. If the WelloStationX device does not detect a fever, it will print a “wellness sticker” that guests and employees must wear upon entering.
“From temperature checks to enhanced cleaning schedules, to plexiglass barriers between slot machines and separating table games patrons, to requiring guests and employees to wear masks,” Kahn said about the casino’s new normal. “When we resume operations, we’ll be ready to welcome guests back with safety measures to help protect them while they’re here.”
The entire casino will not reopen, however. The poker room and bingo sessions are still on hold, as well as the fine-dining restaurant Willows, the café, the buffet, and the casino spa. The main game floor with slot machines, the food court, and Grains & Grounds eatery will be the only parts of the casino in operation.
In addition to the new WelloStationX devices and physically separating the slot machines with plexiglass, the casino will also require all guests and employees to wear masks and socially distance.
“We believe we’ve waited until the right time to reopen the resort,” Kahn said. “By securing high-tech equipment, implementing strict safety procedures and working closely with the state to determine a sensible reopen date, we believe we’ve met the challenge of creating a safe environment under the current conditions.”
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