Philadelphia’s Rivers Casino Reopen on July 17

The Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, PA reopened yesterday. The operator introduced many health and safety protocols in order to ensure safe operations in the post-COVID-19 environment.

Shut Since mid-March, Rivers Casino Reopened Yesterday

Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania announced its reopening plans earlier this week. Starting from yesterday, Friday, July 17, the casino reopened doors to the general public. In a statement, regarding its reopening, the operator said that visitors will see that the casino is following guidance from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Health. Social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols are just a few of the measures that the operator took in order to reopen for visitors.

In addition, the Rivers Casino announced its temporary working hours. The property will be closed from 5 am to 9 am, Monday through Thursday for deep cleaning. With that in mind, the temporary working hours are:

• Monday to Thursday – 9 am to 5 am
• Friday 9 am through Monday 5 am the property will operate 24-hours and cleaning will be conducted during the working hours

The Rivers Casino in Philadelphia was closed back in mid-March. Similar to other states, casinos as well as other entertainment venues were shut in an effort to flatten the curve of COVID-19 spread in the US. Looking at data from the American Gaming Association, by now, 842 tribal and commercial casino properties have reopened. But some 147 tribal and commercial casino properties remain closed at the moment.

Masks and Other Health and Safety Measures Introduced by the Rivers Casino

The operator announced that masks are mandatory for both guests and employees at all times. Rivers Casino said that security officers as well as other casino staff will be monitoring and enforcing this measure. All guests and employees will have their temperature checked upon entry. Guests with registered temperature above 100.4˚F will not be allowed to enter. Any guests with COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged by the operator to stay home.

Peter Longi, Rivers Casino assistant general manager said that cleaning ambassadors are introduced on the casino floor. “They proactively clean the slot machines and the table games throughout the day,” said Longi for CBS3.  He further noted that if guests feel more comfortable if the machine is cleaned prior to them using it, they can reach out for an ambassador to help.

Smoking or use of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes is banned. However, Rivers Casino said that designated areas for smoking outside of the property will be available. Currently, the operator does not offer indoor dining or drinking. Guests that would like to have bottled water can visit Jack’s Bar + Grill patio, which is at the south end of the property. Valet service is currently not available for the guests. On the other hand, parking garage will be available only for guests with a VIP pass.

The Gaming Floor’s post-COVID-19 Look

The Rivers Casino said that more than 100 hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes stations were installed around the gaming floor. Social distancing is going to be encouraged by signage. Furthermore, the operator said that AtmosAir air purification system was installed. The system offers bi-polar ionization (BPI), which is proven to be over 99.9% effective in neutralizing COVID-19 on surfaces.

Following the PGCB recommendation, Rivers Casino will not offer poker rooms. The operator said that if the guidelines by CDC are changed, it will re-examine the options for poker room operations. Rivers Casino also installed plexiglass spacers at points of purchase, ATMs, kiosks and other transaction areas. The operator did not miss to say that enhanced cleaning is frequently administered throughout the premises. Emphasis of the cleaning will be the high-traffic areas and touchable surfaces. Currently, Rivers Casino operates under limited capacity of 25%.