HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Several South Florida casinos are opening their doors for the first time in months but with restrictions in place.
Some health officials think the casinos may be taking a gamble reopening one day after the number of COVID-19 cases Florida hit a record high.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood is one of the casinos reopening on Friday.
“We certainly recognize our employees have gone through some difficult times, as everyone has, based upon the unfortunate pandemic,” said Hard Rock International Chair Jim Allen.
Hialeah Park Racing and Casino will also be reopening and said they are prepared to welcome patrons back.
“We’ve been working for about 11 weeks to make everything here for our employees and our guests and our customers as safe as possible,” said Hialeah Park Racing and Casino general manager Steve Calabro.
Some of the new protocols involve temperature checks and a requirement that face masks be worn.
Every other slot machine has been unplugged to ensure social distancing at Hialeah Park Racing and Casino and when a machine is not being used any longer it will be disinfected before the next person sits down.
“One of the clean team members will clean that seat and area down,” said Calabro.
The casino has also made changes to the Poker room where adjustable partitions have been added in between each seat and around the entire table.
The Poker chips will also be cleaned throughout the day.
Similar precautionary measures are being used at The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach.
“We have sanitizing touchless stations where you can get sanitizer,” said Daniel Adkins with The Big Easy Casino.
Officials with Hollywood’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Seminole Classic Casino and the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek said they will also turn off alternating slot machines.
Temperature scanners have been installed at the casinos and plexiglass barriers will divide players and dealers at table games and customer service areas.
Clean teams will routinely disinfect gambling machines and frequently touched surfaces.
“Our Safe and Sound program is really all about safety, and we truly respect the seriousness of this particular issue,” said Allen.
Some are uncertain about reopening the casinos as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise.
The increase in cases comes after the phased reopening of restaurants and other businesses in the state.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “Go look at New York, what New York had. That’s a spike, so to say that there’s a spike, there’s just never been a spike in Florida.”
Experts, however, disagree with the governor.
“It’s not an equivalent situation,” said infectious disease expert Dr. Aileen Marty with Florida International University.
Between the protests, state-wide reopenings and residents just not following CDC guidelines, Dr. Marty said increases of cases are likely to continue until people follow the rules in place.
“If you give the virus the opportunity to go from one host to the next, it will,” said Dr. Marty.
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