SANTA YNEZ, CA – May 27, 2020 – The Chumash Casino Resort will reopen its doors at noon on Wednesday, June 10 with strict safety measures and cleaning procedures in place after being closed for nearly 13 weeks in a statewide effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The gaming floor will feature reduced seating and protective barriers affixed between slot machines and separating table games dealers and patrons to promote social distancing, while the food court, with fewer tables, and the Grains & Grounds eatery will be open for guests.
Until further notice, bingo sessions, the Poker Room, the fine-dining restaurant Willows, The Café, The Buffet and The Spa will be temporarily unavailable.
The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians’ other properties – Hotel Corque, Hadsten House, Root 246 restaurant and the Kitá Wines tasting room – will remain temporarily closed.
On March 15, the tribe announced the casino would close its doors days ahead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s issued statewide stay-at-home order to combat the virus's spread.
“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. “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. When we resume operations, we'll be ready to welcome guests back with safety measures to help protect them while they're here.”
As the Chumash Casino Resort prepares to reopen its doors, it will welcome back employees in the coming weeks. On their return, all employees will receive training on COVID-19 safety and sanitation protocols with more comprehensive training for those who interact frequently with guests. In addition, employees will be required to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), have their temperature checked before each shift and follow safety guidelines while on property.
Additional safety enhancements in and around the resort include WelloStationX™ non-contact temperature screening devices. Multiple WelloStationX™ are located at entry points to the resort. The clinically tested and FDA-cleared Class II medical devices will screen guests and employees entering the facility. The device will print a wellness sticker that will be required to be worn to allow entry.
In addition to modifying the gaming floor to allow for physical separation, the resort will require guests to wear face masks and abide by physical distancing guidelines. Enhanced cleaning schedules have also been implemented for all areas of the property including the gaming floor and the Chumash Casino Resort Hotel. Additional Safe + Well protocols can be found
here.
“We believe we’ve waited until the right time to reopen the resort,” Kahn said. “All throughout the closure, we’ve reminded our employees and guests that their health and well-being are our top priority. 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.”
Located on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez, California, the Chumash Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. Its reservation was established and officially recognized by the federal government in 1901. Today, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians remains the only federally recognized Chumash tribe in the nation.
The tribe also owns Hotel Corque, Root 246, and Hadsten House in Solvang, two gas stations in Santa Ynez, and its own wine label – Kitá Wines. As the largest employer in the Santa Ynez Valley, the tribe employs more than 2,000 residents of Santa Barbara County.