Some Florida casinos have closed over coronavirus, but the cash is still flowing at two
Some South Florida casinos have gone dark, by choice or order, in the social distancing era of coronavirus-spread prevention. But Seminole Hard Rock’casino in South Broward as well as Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in West Miami-Dade are still hosting games of chance and profit.
Casino Miami and Magic City Casino closed before Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s sweeping Thursday morning order that shut various kinds of business as Miami-Dade and Broward’s COVID-19 cases rose.
Calder Casino voluntarily closed earlier this week, followed by The Casino at Gulfstream Park, in Hallandale Beach. The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach and The Casino @ Dania Beach turned out the lights on Tuesday.
The slot machine lights still flashed at Seminole Hard Rock and Miccosukee Resort & Gaming.
Each place trimmed events that draw large, close-sitting gatherings. Miccosukee’s popular bingo games have been canceled, as well as any in-person barrel drawings. Seminole Hard Rock postponed a long list of acts to scheduled to appear at The Comedy Club, Hard Rock Live and Daer Nightclub & Dayclub before April 15 and have paused the daily Guitar Hotel Light Show.
Seminole also closed several restaurants and bars, all its poker rooms and its spa, while you can still play poker or get a mani-pedi at the Miccosukee resort.
But the profitable hearts of their operations, the casinos, continue to beat.
Seminole spokesman Gary Bitner emailed Thursday that more than half of the slot machines have been turned off so players will sit a “significant distance” from each other and table games have fewer players. Also, employees can stay home and use paid time off even if they have none left. time off, even if they have a zero balance of paid time off and, despite the closings, the casino has preserved “the current income of the large majority of team members.”
“We do ask that if you are feeling under the weather that you please stay home and practice social distancing,” Miccosukee Resort & Gaming posted to its website Tuesday. “Any guest that shows symptoms will be asked to leave for the safety of all our other guests.”
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 1:19 PM.
