6 Michigan Tribal Casinos Closing, Others Adding COVID-19 Restrictions

Written By Matt Schoch on November 19, 2020
tribal casinos

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Despite not being required to do so, six tribal casinos in the Upper Peninsula are adhering to the governor’s directives.

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Michigan, six additional casinos are closing their doors, in addition to the three casinos in Detroit that were already subjected to the state’s shutdown orders.

Greektown Casino, MGM Grand Detroit, and MotorCity Casino have temporarily closed as of early Wednesday morning and will remain closed until December 8th.

The absence of online sports betting currently puts a halt on the Detroit sports betting market.

Although restrictions on gameplay, dining, and entertainment are in place, other tribal casinos remain open.

Bay Mills was first tribal casino to close in November

During the spring shut down, all 23 tribal casinos in Michigan were closed. However, the latest surge in COVID-19 cases has not yet led to their closure.

On Monday, the Bay Mills Indian Community declared its compliance with the state health department’s guidelines and made the decision to temporarily close its casino once more.

Bay Mills shut down on Wednesday and is scheduled to resume operations on December 8th.

“In light of the pandemic’s unpredictability,” stated Bryan Newland, the chairman of BMIC, “we have proactively allocated CARES Act funds, foreseeing the potential for another shutdown. Our commitment lies in safeguarding both our community and our employees.”

The BMIC also manages Kings Club Casino in Brimley, which shut down in the spring and is yet to resume operations.

Kewadin closing all five UP locations

Kewadin Casinos has decided to follow Bay Mills’ example and temporarily shut down its five locations until December 8th, starting from Tuesday night.

Kewadin Casinos are operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and they are located in Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, Sault Ste. Marie, and St. Ignace.

Guests staying at the hotels were obligated to check out by Wednesday. As a result of the closure, reservations for guests were automatically annulled and a complete refund was provided.

COVID-19 restrictions at other tribal casinos

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, tribal casinos implemented a range of safety protocols upon reopening during the summer.

While only the six listed casinos are closing this week, numerous other tribal casinos are introducing new operational changes.

Some examples of these are:

  • The retail sportsbook counter, gift shop, table games outside of high limit, and dining and drinking facilities have been closed by Gun Lake Casino in Wayland.
  • Club Four One entertainment, which encompasses live bands and comedy, has been canceled until December 10th at the Island Resort Casino in Harris.
  • Little River Casino Resort in Manistee has implemented several measures to ensure safety amidst the current circumstances. These measures include reducing operating hours, limiting capacity to 25%, transitioning restaurants to carry-out services only, temporarily closing table games, and alternating the availability of slot machines.
  • Table games have been temporarily halted at Ojibwa Casinos in Baraga and Marquette.
  • The casinos in the Traverse City area, namely Turtle Creek and Leelanau Sands, have implemented a series of measures. These include reducing operating hours, prohibiting food on the gaming floor, temporarily closing bars, transitioning restaurants to carry-out services only, and restricting table games to Thursday through Sunday.

During the closure period, customers are advised to contact the casinos directly for any inquiries regarding reservations, cancellations, and refunds.

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