Jackson Rancheria casino closing for 2 weeks as Thunder Valley cuts back over coronavirus
The Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort is closing for two weeks because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, but the 1,175 workers at the casino will continue to be paid during the shutdown.
“In the primary interest of protecting the safety of our guests and employees and in an effort to play our part in slowing the progression of this virus, we feel that the temporary closure of Jackson Rancheria is the most responsible decision at this time,” said Adam Dalton, chairman of the Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians.
The casino, hotel and RV park will close Wednesday at 8 a.m. and remain shuttered until April 1.
“Jackson Rancheria guests will receive a full refund for reservations and tickets purchased during this closure period,” the casino said in a statement Monday afternoon. “For questions and concerns, visit www.jacksoncasino.com.”
The closure comes as casinos statewide are grappling with how to address official edicts on “safe distancing” and President Trump’s announcement Monday that Americans should avoid groups of more than 10 people.
Earlier in the day, the region’s largest casino announced that it is severely curtailing some operations and laying off 85 workers as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln is postponing all concerts for the rest of the month, including shows by Thunder from Down Under, Queen Nation, and Maria Cordero with Special Guest Lei Lei. The resort is also closing its buffet, which the casino says “frequently attracts more than 250 guests and employees at a time in close proximity.”
Thunder Valley also is closing its Illusions Night Club and the Lobby Bar and is postponing the $1 million World Poker Tour DeepStacks Championship Tournament, which can involve as many as 500 people sitting closely together.
The casino also is limiting the number of poker players at each table, moving tables to increase the space between them and cutting seating in its bingo room from 600 to 225 people.
It also is cutting the number of available slot machines in half and reducing the number of bus runs it makes for patrons.
“We are closely tracking every new development related to COVID-19 and we will remain vigilant in our compliance with all requirements established by public health officials,” said general manager Dawn Clayton.
The move comes as the Centers for Disease Control has said people should limit their exposure to groups of only 50, and as some other casinos have opted to close.
Cache Creek Casino Resort said Sunday night it would close temporarily, and some casinos in Southern California announced similar closures over the weekend.
Thunder Valley, operated by the United Auburn Indian Community, has 3,500 slot and video machines, 100 table games, a hotel and concert venue. In normal times, the operation employs 2,500 full- and part-time workers.
This story was originally published March 16, 2020 at 7:26 AM.