Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the world as been a bit topsy turvy. We are all having to make changes in our lives to try and deal with the deadly virus. In the gambling world, casinos shut down for weeks to months as the virus took over. Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey allowed the casinos in Atlantic City to reopen just before the Fourth of July weekend, but one casino decided to wait. The Borgata was not ready to open just yet as they felt the restrictions would not allow the property to offer guests what they expect. It was not until this week that the casino decided to get back to work.
Slowed Reopening Process
Originally, the Borgata had plans to reopen just after the 4th. However, right before the casinos were set to reopen, Governor Murphy decided to ban dining. This was a deal breaker for the Borgata, and they removed their reopening dates and set new ones.
The casino reopened yesterday to a limited crowd, after being shut down for more than four months. The venue is the highest grossing in the region, and the closure caused the property to take a big hit in revenues. The opening yesterday was a preview as the property prepares to welcome the public fully on Sunday.
All casinos in Atlantic City must operate at a reduced capacity. They must meet guidelines set by local governments as well as the state and national levels. Smoking, drinking and dining are not allowed indoors. Customers may not be in agreement with this decision but it was done to help see mask wearing on a continual basis.
Masks are Required
At the Borgata, everyone must wear a face mask. Guests, employees, vendors, etc. must all wear a mask in the hotel and casino. Social distancing guidelines must also be followed. MGM Resorts International, the company behind the Borgata, requires that masks be worn at all its properties.
For the Borgata, the casino is following these protocols of course and have made other changes to provide a safe environment. Plexiglass dividers have been added to the table games, to help separate players and the dealer. For slot games, every other machine has been turned off to ensure that there is enough distance between players.
Additional measures have been added to ensure that health and safety of everyone is considered. Menus for food and beverage are touchless, to avoid germ spreading. On the gaming floor, patrons will find handwashing stations are scattered throughout. This allows players to wash their hands any time they like, particularly after playing a game.
For the outdoor areas of the casino, the majority of the space has been changed to provide an area for dining and drinking. Patrons want access to food and drinks, so having an outdoor area makes it safer and provides more leeway when it comes to social distancing.
It may have taken the Borgata some time to open, but they took that time to reassess and strategize regarding how they wanted to get back to work. So far, the reports from the reopening have been positive, with players happy with all the changes they are seeing.