Pala Casino Spa & Resort will be the first venue in San Diego area to resume staging concerts, starting June 28, shows a recently published list of 12 scheduled events that would take place at Pala’s outdoor Starlight Theater. The concerts that will start with singer Trish Toledo and complete September 6 with Mariachi Divas would feature decreased capacity at the 2,251-seat facility, to comply with state and other regulatory recommendations.
Outdoor Concerts to Bring Back Guests
All live entertainment events in the state were cancelled mid-March, along with the closure of land-based gaming facilities to support the effort to curb the spread of the highly contagious virus infection. As Pala casino re-opened May 22, the resort is now about to restart its entertainment schedule, albeit with the implementation of some health protocols for the open-air venue.
“The health and safety of the valued guests and team members is paramount to Pala Casino Spa & Resort.”
Official statement, Pala Casino Spa & Resort
The casino property that is owned and operated by the Pala Mission Band of Indians looks to be the only area venue to restart hosting concerts, as Harrah’s Resort Southern California and Pechanga Resort Casino have no scheduled events so far, while Sycuan Casino Resort had its concerts throughout mid-August cancelled, and Viejas Casino & Resort has only one event that is scheduled for September 5.
Under CDC and State Guidelines
As the entertainment venue outlined, it is committed to follow the guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) regarding businesses. Hence, all guests will be required to wear facial coverings and maintain distancing from each other throughout each of the concerts. Prior to entering the concert venue, all guests will have their temperature screened at the property entrance. Attendance, as usual, will be limited to the 21-and-up only policy.
There will be a significant reduction in the seats available at the Starlight Theater, how much exactly still unknown, as the official representative from the casino resort could not provide further details, explaining that was all the information available at the moment.
“The best I can provide is that Pala is reducing capacity to comply with state and other regulatory recommendations.”
Official representative, Pala Casino Spa & Resort
The state of California currently does not allow outdoor concerts to take place, except for drive-in venues, while the current guidelines from the CDC require at least 6 feet distance between the guests, a requirement that would not pose issues for the large outdoor Starlight Theater. The lawn area in between the swimming pool and the 10-storey building that houses the restaurants, the hotel and the casino, would allow for between 80% and 85% capacity utilization.
The upcoming events at the Starlight Theater will take place on the weekends, with the heaviest packed one being July 3-5 where each night will feature a concert.