\u201cWhen we first decided to temporarily suspend operations at the state\u2019s three gaming facilities, the Commission and our licensees held a shared view that public health was paramount to all other considerations,\u201d Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein said in a statement earlier this month.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe timeline to reopen is still uncertain; however, our attention is now focused on developing a responsible restart plan and maximizing this time to establish guidelines, in coordination and collaboration with key stakeholders, including the three licensees, state and local leaders, and public health officials,\u201d said Judd-Stein, a former deputy chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts\u2019 governor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n
When asked for comment on the gaming property reopening process for Massachusetts, the Rev. Richard McGowan, a finance professor at Boston College who closely follows New England gambling trends, identified long-term and short-term challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cMGM in Springfield and Plainridge will be hard-pressed to turn around the downturns they experienced even before COVID-19,\u201d McGowan said. \u201cHow the state supports these two ventures remains to be seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs for Encore, it is quite doubtful that 3 million visitors will come when Encore opens again. Perhaps the state will fast-track sports gambling as a help to boost visitations to Encore,\u201d McGowan added.<\/p>\n
More immediately, there will have to be fewer players allowed at casinos, according to McGowan. \u201cThe employees will have to wear masks and maybe the gamblers will also have to wear masks,\u201d McGowan added.<\/p>\n
Clearly, how \u2026 the casinos comply with social distancing will be the key issue. There is some talk about plexiglass between slot machines,\u201d McGowan said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cBut Encore’s big draw was its table games,\u201d McGowan added. \u201cHow would you set up a blackjack table? Maybe with plexiglass defining each position?\u201d<\/p>\n
As of Sunday, Massachusetts saw 77,793 confirmed coronavirus cases. Some 4,979 patients have died.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Massachusetts\u2019 three commercial casinos were to submit preliminary reopening plans by this weekend to the state\u2019s Gaming Commission. Commissioners are expected to review the proposals in a public meeting sometime this week. Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park Casino were to send their preliminary plans to commission staff by Friday. The gaming commissioners […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":135371,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13592],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Massachusetts Gaming Commission to Review Casino Reopening Plans<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n