Go straight to the content.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has announced that the Michigan Gaming Control Board is temporarily closing Detroit’s three casinos due to the constantly changing COVID-19 situation.
Nonetheless, not all of the state’s nearly two dozen tribal casinos are obligated to follow the board’s regulations.
Last week, as most sports leagues were shutting down due to the national emergency, legalized sports betting was introduced in Detroit.
The circumstances are constantly changing, and with each refresh of your Twitter feed, fresh headlines emerge. Here is the most recent update:
March 21 updates
All Upper Peninsula casinos will be closed by early Sunday, starting at 1 p.m.
Due to concerns over the coronavirus, all 11 Upper Peninsulas will be temporarily closed as of midnight on early Sunday.
On early Sunday, the final casinos to close will include the five Kewadin locations, two Ojibwa locations, and Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet.
The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Council has announced its intention to re-open the Ojibwa locations in Marquette and Baraga on April 12. Furthermore, the announcement stated that casino and government employees will receive compensation for the duration of this temporary closure.
On April 10, Bay Mills Resort and Casino along with Kings Club will commence operations at noon. However, Northern Waters will remain closed until April 11. Similarly, Island Resort Casino in Harris will continue to be closed until April 6.
March 18 updates
MotorCity Casino is making a donation to DDOT at 4 p.m.
On Wednesday, MotorCity Casino made an announcement stating that on Tuesday night, they generously contributed 6,000 sanitizing wipes and 8,000 vinyl gloves to the city of Detroit. These supplies are intended for the drivers of the Detroit Department of Transportation to utilize.
Gun Lake has announced a food assistance program at 2 p.m.
One positive outcome for the local community has emerged as a result of the temporary closure of Gun Lake Casino in Wayland.
On Wednesday, the casino made an announcement regarding their food assistance program, which has been established as a response to the closure caused by the coronavirus. This program is scheduled to continue until March 30th.
Local organizations in West Michigan, such as Dégagé Ministries, Feeding America West Michigan, and Hand2Hand, received a generous donation of over 2.75 tons of food from Gun Lake.
Our team successfully transported more than 2.75 tons of food from Dégagé Ministries, Feeding America West Michigan, and Hand2Hand. As a result of our efforts, we were able to contribute an abundance of fresh food to help combat hunger.
LEARN MORE: https://t.co/f6WU3kNhoZ pic.twitter.com/peyoKSkzjp
On March 18, 2020, the official Twitter account of Gun Lake Casino posted: “@GunLakeCasino”
March 17 updates
Upper Peninsula casinos are still operating at 11 a.m.
While Lower Peninsula casinos have been closed, some Upper Peninsula casinos are still operating and hosting games.
Despite Gov. Whitmer lacking authority over tribal casinos, numerous establishments are choosing to voluntarily close down.
This week, Kings Club and Bay Mills Resort in Brimley, located in the U.P., have adjusted their operating hours. Instead of staying open 24 hours, they will now be open from 8 a.m. until midnight. Following this, the casinos will temporarily close from midnight on Friday until April 10.
The five Kewadin Casino locations have temporarily closed their table games and beverage stations. Additionally, bus trips scheduled until April 5 will be rescheduled. Many shows, including the Candlebox concert on April 18 in Sault Ste. Marie, have been postponed at several facilities.
Both the Ojibwa Casino branches in Baraga and Marquette were operational on Tuesday. However, the Marquette location was planned to temporarily shut down for cleaning purposes from 2:30 a.m. until 7 on Wednesday.
Bus tours at Island Resort & Casino in Harris will be suspended starting on Thursday until April 6th. Additionally, the Tesla shows scheduled for April 24th and 25th have been postponed.
MGM Grand Detroit has announced that it will compensate its workers, according to a report released at 10:30 a.m.
According to the Detroit Free Press, MGM Grand has committed to compensating its employees and maintaining their health care coverage throughout the coronavirus shutdown.
On Tuesday, Brian Rothenberg, the UAW spokesman, confirmed to the Detroit Free Press that MGM has recently made the decision to compensate their employees like the other casinos in Detroit during these challenging times. Additionally, they will also ensure that their workers receive healthcare coverage until June.
Four Winds closure leads to the closure of all Lower Peninsula casinos at 3 a.m.
As of Tuesday night, the Four Winds Casino establishments in New Boston, Dowagiac, and Hartford were closed, resulting in the closure of all 14 casinos in the Lower Peninsula.
The closure of the casino will persist until March 30, as stated on its website, with plans for reassessment thereafter. Moreover, all entertainment scheduled until April 4 will be postponed.
March 16 updates
Four casinos Up North are closing at 9:40 p.m.
This week, a group of tribal casinos in northern Michigan will be shutting down on their own accord.
Turtle Creek, located in Williamsburg, Leelanau Sands in Peshawbestown, and Little River in Manistee, were closed on Monday, while Petoskey’s Odawa Casino is set to close on Tuesday. These four establishments have tentatively planned to reopen on March 30.
On Tuesday, the Odawa will close voluntarily at 4 p.m., while the hotel will continue to operate as usual.
All employees will receive full compensation during the four closures, as stated in the notices.
Soaring Eagle is added to the list of closures at 3:20 p.m.
Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, will be closing next on Monday at 5 p.m.
The Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe facility, as well as the Saganing Eagles Landing Casino & Hotel in Standish, will be closed until further notice, as stated on the Soaring Eagle website.
MGM Grand Detroit has changed its closure time to 3 p.m., as of 1:39 p.m.
MGM Grand Detroit sent an email to customers notifying them that their Monday closure time has been rescheduled to 3 p.m., aligning with Whitmer’s directive to close at that specific hour.
The email emphasized that the well-being and safety of our customers and employees remain our utmost concern. It stated that the facility will be temporarily shut down for a duration of two weeks, with a reassessment to follow.
Due to the ongoing national emergency, MGM will be the last of the Detroit casinos to shut down, marking the third and final closure.
MotorCity Casino and Greektown are closed at noon.
At noon, two out of Detroit’s three casinos, namely MotorCity Casino and Greentown Casino, ceased their operations.
According to information on the casino website, the MotorCity hotel will continue to operate and provide its luxurious accommodations to offer a respite for individuals amidst these unprecedented times.
The concerts scheduled at MotorCity until April 5th are being rescheduled. The Brian McKnight show, originally planned for March 19th, has already been moved to May 24th.
The closure of MGM Grand Detroit is still scheduled for 5 p.m.
Important Announcement: 📣 Brian McKnight’s performance, previously planned for March 19, has been rescheduled to May 24, 2020 at 8pm. Please note that all purchased tickets will remain valid for the new date. For those unable to attend, full refunds will be available until March 20, 2020, through the original point of purchase. pic.twitter.com/tDBTHyxK71
On March 13, 2020, MotorCity Casino posted a tweet.
Casino Windsor shuts down during the overnight hours, at 4 a.m.
Caesars Windsor, situated across the Detroit River from downtown, shut down its gaming floor at 4 a.m. on Monday, with hotel guests instructed to vacate the premises by noon.
Four concerts, featuring Ice Cube, Pitbull, REO Speedwagon, and Jason Derulo, have also been postponed by the Casino. Ice Cube’s concert was scheduled for March 26, Pitbull’s for March 29, REO Speedwagon’s for April 3, and Jason Derulo’s for April 10.
Our top priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our employees and guests. Following OLG’s recent announcement, we are implementing an organized closure in line with the recommendation of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health. This temporary closure will remain in effect until further notice. pic.twitter.com/4gwOE6JraP
On March 15, 2020, Caesars Windsor posted on Twitter.
The FireKeepers in Battle Creek closes at 3 a.m.
All scheduled entertainment has been postponed as FireKeepers Casino Hotel in Battle Creek closed overnight on Monday.
Larry the Cable Guy’s performance scheduled for Saturday was postponed.
Greektown Casino will compensate its employees at 12:35 a.m.
As reported by The Detroit News, Greektown Casino has committed to providing its employees with their regular wages throughout the upcoming shutdown. The shutdown is scheduled to commence at noon on Monday and is anticipated to last a minimum of two weeks.
March 15 updates
MGM Grand will be closing on Monday at 11:30 p.m.
MGM Grand Detroit has made the decision to temporarily close its doors at 5 p.m. on Monday for a period of two weeks. The status of the closure will be reassessed after this timeframe.
In addition, the closure encompasses the facility’s restaurants and bars as well.
MGM Grand Detroit will temporarily halt operations at 5:00pm on March 16, in accordance with the order from the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The closure is expected to last for two weeks, after which the situation will be reassessed.
More: https://t.co/Aky1yT5K8R pic.twitter.com/ihszZMAluk
On March 16, 2020, the official Twitter account of MGM Grand Detroit shared the following message:
At 1:53 p.m., Representative Tlaib vehemently criticizes casinos.
In a tweet, U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) criticized Michigan casinos for disregarding health concerns and staying open, highlighting how corporate greed is becoming evident amidst the current public health crisis.
During this public health crisis, the unsightly face of corporate greed is becoming evident.
Despite the fact that everything in Detroit’s casinos involves touching machines, cards, and being in close proximity to others, they remain open. This blatant disregard for people’s well-being highlights their prioritization of profits over the welfare of individuals. #PrioritizePeople
On March 15, 2020, Rashida Tlaib tweeted.
March 14 updates
Gun Lake Casino will be closing voluntarily at 5:08 p.m.
Gun Lake Casino, located in Wayland and a tribal property situated south of Grand Rapids, has made the decision to temporarily shut down its operations. Beginning at 3 a.m. on Monday, the closure will be in effect until 9 a.m. on March 30.
In a statement, the company expressed its belief in taking proactive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19, even though there is no enforced obligation to close.
