{"id":135379,"date":"2020-05-11T04:06:56","date_gmt":"2020-05-11T11:06:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=135379"},"modified":"2020-05-11T08:31:51","modified_gmt":"2020-05-11T15:31:51","slug":"arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped\/","title":{"rendered":"Arkansas Casinos Can Reopen May 18, Crowd Capped"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arkansas will permit its gaming venues to reopen on May 18 under current plans. Multiple safety precautions will be in place, as well as a cap that limits players to just a third of capacity.<\/p>\n

\"Arkansas
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is moving forward with the planned reopening of casinos, basing decisions on health data. (Image: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Saracen Casino Annex in Pine Bluff, and Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis will be required to implement \u201cstringent social distancing requirements,\u201d upon reopening, Gov. Asa Hutchinson<\/a> said Thursday, according to television station KATV. Casino executives appear eager to resume operations with precautions in place.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll indications we have received so far have been that our protocols \u2026 [meet] their expectations,” Saracen Project Manager Carlton Saffa told television station KTHV. “If we get close to being at \u2026 one-third of the rated capacity of the building, folks will have to wait to come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guidelines to Stress Social Distancing, Cleanliness<\/h2>\n

Operating hours will be limited at Saracen to allow for increased cleaning. Cleaning will additionally take place throughout the day on the gaming floor.<\/p>\n

You can expect when you get up from a machine, there will be someone shortly behind you to clean it. That’s not just the machine [but] \u2026 also the surfaces you sat on,” Saffa said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Reopening guidelines are likely to be released this week by state officials. Possible safety precautions at gaming venues include workers getting their temperatures checked, face masks requirements, keeping an appropriate distance, and plexiglass barriers, KTHV said.<\/p>\n

The state\u2019s gaming properties were ordered closed by Hutchinson on March 17. Since then, state officials have monitored health data.<\/p>\n

As of Sunday, there were 4,012 confirmed coronavirus cases in Arkansas. Some 91 people died in connection with the illness.<\/p>\n

Arkansas Impacted by Coronavirus Outbreak<\/h2>\n

\u201cEvery industry sector in Arkansas has been affected by the outbreak of COVID-19,\u201d Gov. Hutchinson said in a recent statement. \u201cThe pandemic continues to have a statewide impact on grocery stores, small businesses, pharmacies, hospitals, and restaurants, to name a few. It\u2019s important that we continue to adequately support and protect our industries and people until the threat is no longer imminent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under a current directive, travelers from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Orleans, Louisiana, and all international locations must quarantine, as spelled out under state regulations.<\/p>\n

We are attempting to move past the restrictions that have been necessary during this pandemic, but we must do so in a manner that is based on solid data,\u201d Hutchinson said in another statement. \u201cI am confident this measured reopening is the best approach that will allow us to enjoy these entertainment venues again.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Last month, Arkansas Department of Health Secretary Nate Smith<\/a> confirmed to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette<\/em> he has concerns about casinos reopening, \u201cjust because they are particularly high-risk. They are indoors.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people in a small amount of space. Often times, people with significant risk factors\u2026. And you\u2019ve got a lot of people touching stuff, so if you wanted to design a setting to optimize the spread of COVID-19, it would look a lot like a casino,\u201d Smith added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Arkansas will permit its gaming venues to reopen on May 18 under current plans. Multiple safety precautions will be in place, as well as a cap that limits players to just a third of capacity. Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort in Hot Springs, Saracen Casino Annex in Pine Bluff, and Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":135380,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13592],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nArkansas Casinos Can Reopen May 18, Crowd Capped<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Arkansas will permit its gaming venues to reopen on May 18 under current plans. 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A cap will limit players to just a third of capacity.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Casino.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Casino.OrgNews\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-05-11T11:06:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-05-11T15:31:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Asa-Hutchinson33.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"520\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ed Silverstein\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@casinoorgedsilv\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@Casino_Org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ed Silverstein\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped\/\",\"name\":\"Arkansas Casinos Can Reopen May 18, Crowd Capped\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/arkansas-casinos-can-reopen-may-18-crowd-capped\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Asa-Hutchinson33.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-05-11T11:06:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-05-11T15:31:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/b3771b02527bcbda9af984b9b1ff098e\"},\"description\":\"Arkansas will permit its gaming venues to reopen on May 18 under current plans. 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