Derek Stevens discusses his casino’s success amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Some Northern California casinos are moving forward with plans for the New Year’s Eve party, even with the COVID-19 pandemic in the already devastated Golden State.
The popular Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks and the Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln are hosting exclusive indoor soirees, while communities across the country cancel traditional events that celebrate the annual milestone.
Casino galas are possible despite the imposition of Democratic governor Gavin Newsom of another order to stay at home, because they are located on tribal lands, not subject to local or state restrictions on coronavirus.
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“This year’s New Year celebration will be like most of 2020: a little different,” says Cache Creek’s website. “Cache Creek Casino Resort will become a private location starting at 12 noon on December 31, 2020. We will reopen to the public at 6 am on January 1, 2021.”
The Thunder Valley “Farewell 2020” event is expected to accommodate 6,000 revelers, according to The Sacramento Bee.
It is closing to the public on Thursday and reopening for business on Friday at 6am
Most casinos closed in the spring before reopening to customers with measures such as temperature checks, acrylic barriers, masking and reduced capacity.
On his Facebook page, Cache Creek wrote that he had required testing for all employees and also conducts “ongoing surveillance tests to identify any asymptomatic cases so that employees can go home to recover before they can spread the virus”.
The company has a page on its website that explains its health and sanitation procedures. Thunder Valley does not provide this information.
In July, Thunder Valley workers resigned from their jobs alleging unsafe working conditions.
However, both locations told Bee that the parties will represent only a fraction of the normal number of New Year’s guests.
That said, the Graton Resort Casino in Rohnert Park abruptly canceled its 4,000-person party after the event was criticized on social media.
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Like most of the state, there was a big increase in daily case rates in Sonoma County.
None of the three casinos immediately returned messages asking for FOX Business comments.