Oneida Indian Nation says casino sports books to reopen July 22

The Oneida Indian Nation on Thursday announced a July 22 reopening of the Lounge with Caesars Sports, its casino sports books for sports betting.

The casinos include Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, Point Place Casino in the Bridgeport area of Sullivan, and YBR Casino & Sports Book in Chittenango.

The reopening comes as the start of the Major League Baseball season and the restart of NBA basketball approaches. Customers will be required to follow the same “Safer Together” protocols as all Oneida Indian Nation venues.

Health and safety protocols include prohibiting access for guests traveling from one of the 22 states identified as having increased cases, requiring a valid ID, and mandatory face coverings to enter the property.

Because customers cannot wear masks while eating and drinking at the Lounge with Caesars Sports, casinos will enforce physical distancing and 50 percent occupancy limits, the Oneida Nation said.

Oneida Nation Enterprises is restricting access to guests traveling from any of the following 22 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.

The Oneida Nation’s “Safer Together” reopening health & safety plan “adopts the best practices from gaming and hospitality venues throughout the world, and incorporates input from regional partners, including neighboring municipalities,” the organization said.

 Other safety protocols

The Oneida Nation also says the following protocols will remain in place at all properties.

• Mandatory face coverings for employees, guests, vendors and the public “wherever feasible” throughout the facilities, including everywhere on the gaming floor.
• All restaurants and bars will have at least six feet of separation between tables. Buffets or other self-service food options will remain closed, and there will be no self-service food in any of the Players’ Lounges or banquet rooms.
• Gloves required for all employees who are working in direct contact with guests, including in all restaurants, at registration desks and on the gaming floors.
• Daily noninvasive thermal temperature checks of every employee entering the workplace and brief survey questions to identify potential exposure to coronavirus.
• Enhanced cleaning measures include new technology that alerts guests with an on-screen notification of the exact time the slot machine was last sanitized, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) air changeover levels will be maintained at “significantly greater capacity, and will exceed” those required by the standard commercial code, touchless hand sanitizer dispensers placed at every guest entry point and throughout the property.

The Oneida Nation will not have concerts or shows in the showroom or event center until it can have mass gatherings “without undue risk.”