Wind Creek Casino Reopening

1. When Will Wind Creek Wetumpka Casino Reopen
2. Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Reopening
3. Wind Creek Casino Reopening Date

BETHLEHEM, Pa., June 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Wind Creek Bethlehem today announces the reopening of the property to the public on Monday, June 29, 2020. There is no timetable yet for patrons to return to Parx Casino, Rivers Philadelphia, Harrah’s Philadelphia, Valley Forge Casino Resort, Wind Creek Bethlehem, or Presque Isle Downs & Casino. The reopened casinos are operating under reduced gaming capacity, staffing, dining options, and hours.

A new age of casino gambling in the Lehigh Valley will get its start next Monday when Wind Creek Bethlehem reopens for the first time in more than three months.

Wind Creek, which closed to the public March 15 to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, made the announcement Monday. The news comes days after the Lehigh Valley learned it would enter the green phase of the state’s reopening plan Friday, a phase that permits casinos to open at 50% occupancy.

As of midday Monday, six of the state’s casinos are open, after Mohegan Sun Pocono in Luzerne County and Mount Airy Casino Resort in Monroe County reopened.

During the pandemic, Wind Creek Bethlehem was able to pay its roughly 2,400 employees through the end of May but furloughed 2,095 of them June 1, as the downturn entered its third month. Wind Creek Hospitality President and CEO Jay Dorris told The Morning Call this month that the casino hopes to bring all employees back as operations ramp back up.

With the potential shift in consumer preferences following this pandemic, however, Dorris said Wind Creek was tapping the brakes on a $250 million plan to transform the crumbling Bethlehem Steel No. 2 Machine Shop into an indoor water park and entertainment complex.

But Wind Creek still wants to break ground by late summer on its $100 million hotel expansion, a project that could take 14-16 months to complete.

While a reopening date did not become clear until Monday, Wind Creek had kept patrons informed of what to expect when the casino did open again. That included plans for small groups of invited guests to start, followed days later by a reopening to the public at a reduced capacity.

As one of the Lehigh Valley’s largest employers, the casino also had some of its employees test positive for COVID-19. That included Jonathan Shen, a 31-year-old table games supervisor at the casino who died April 22 following a four-week battle with COVID-19.

During an interview June 12, Dorris declined to disclose the number of employee cases but noted the casino had the situation arise and tried to be proactive in giving employees the necessary leave to get treated and recover. He said Wind Creek was following all guidance, including notifying those who were in close contact with someone who tested positive.

“We’ve had to deal with it, and we’re going to be dealing with that for some time now going forward,” he said.

Morning Call reporter Jon Harris can be reached at 610-820-6779 or at jon.harris@mcall.com.

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©2020 The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)

When Will Wind Creek Wetumpka Casino Reopen

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For Pennsylvania’s casinos, the least-restrictive phase of Gov. Tom Wolf’s three-phased plan to reopen the state’s economy is designated by an apt color … green.

It’s a color representing money, something synonymous with gambling. While Pennsylvania’s economic shutdown has drastically hit almost all sectors, the gaming sector has felt that hit to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars. They all closed more than two months ago as part of the state’s coronavirus mitigation efforts.

In May alone, that translated into an approximately $230 million drop in revenue compared to the same time last year, according Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board numbers. The loss would have been closer $290 million had there not been a surge in online gambling, the PLCB numbers show.

June will be a little better and July will likely be much better for the casinos provided there are no drastic changes in the coronavirus trends showing the number of Pennsylvania cases are declining.

As counties to the west and north of the Lehigh Valley enter the green phase, casinos have been allowed to reopen in accordance with the governor’s orders. Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course, which is outside of Harrisburg in Grantville, is opening its casino floor on Friday with a number of restrictions.

Mohegan Sun Pocono near Wilkes-Barre is set to open at 10 a.m. Monday, also with restrictions. “This reopening will include comprehensive safety and social distancing protocols, some of which include thermal temperature scans at all points of entry, protective mask requirements and limited guest capacity,” Mohegan Sun Pocono says in a statement.

Hollywood is in Dauphin County and Mohegan Sun is in Luzerne County. Both are among the eight counties that will enter the green phase on Friday. Monroe County, which hosts Mount Airy Casino in Mount Pocono, is also among those eight counties.

Mount Airy plans to reopen at noon Monday, a spokeswoman told lehighvalleylive.com. “The Mount Airy team has been diligently cleaning and sanitizing the entire property with EPA approved cleaning and sanitizing agents, and following CDC guidance for workplace cleanliness and safety to ensure that the property is clean and safe prior to reopening,” says a statement from the casino.

As for the Lehigh Valley’s only casino, Wind Creek Bethlehem, an exact opening date remains pending. A spokeswoman told lehighvalleylive.com that it should have an update later this week. It stands to reason that Wind Creek wouldn’t have a firm opening date. Northampton County, like neighboring Lehigh County, remains in the yellow phase of the state’s reopening plan and the Wolf Administration has yet to say when the county will drop down to the green phase. Casinos in Philadelphia and its suburbs are in the same situation.

Wind Creek Casino Bethlehem Reopening

For the Lehigh Valley, the Wind Creek reopening means more than just an opportunity for patrons to watch the roulette wheel spin, throw dice on the craps table and see another card turned in blackjack. Wind Creek, one of the Lehigh Valley’s largest employers, furloughed 2,100 employees at the start of June.

Even when it does reopen, the casino floor will have a much different feel. The PGCB on May 19 issued a series of protocols that casinos must follow if they are to reopen. Wind Creek, like Mohegan Sun and Mount Airy, will have to follow those protocols, which include limitations on capacity, mandatory masks and employee temperature checks. The complete list of protocols is available here on the PLCB website.

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Wind Creek Casino Reopening Date

Nick Falsone can be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com.