Cherokee Nation has started reopening its casinos and aims to have Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa open by the end of next week.
The tribe closed its 10 northeastern Oklahoma casinos March 17 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Properties in Tahlequah, Fort Gibson and Sallisaw reopened this week.
"As we entered phase three for Oklahoma and Tulsa this week, the trends seemed to indicate that it would be safe for us to open on a very strategic basis," said Cherokee Nation Businesses CEO Chuck Garrett.
At all casino properties, workers and guests will have their temperatures checked and be required to wear a mask. Capacities are being limited to allow for social distancing, food and beverage service is being limited for now, and casino floors will close from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m. for deep cleaning and sanitizing.
The Hard Rock hotel will not be open for overnight stays right away.
"But as we work through different protocols for safe cleaning of the hotel rooms and spacing, making sure that we feel absolutely confident that we could provide the safest environment that we can, we’ll open those facilities," Garrett said.
Cherokee Nation has paid hotel and casino workers during the closures.
In 2018, Cherokee Nation Businesses’ entertainment and hospitality portfolio generated around $680 million in revenue.
