Casinos Reopen With Social Distancing Guidelines, Temperature Checks

BLACK HAWK, Colo. (CBS4)- After being a ghost town for nearly three months Colorado casinos are coming back to life this week. Casinos in Cripple Creek reopened Monday, while those in Black Hawk and Central City welcomed back guests Wednesday morning.

In order be back in business all the casinos had to get exemptions from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, which means they're required to follow set guidelines and restrictions.

CBS4 toured Monarch Casino on Tuesday to see how it had prepared its gaming space. Erica Ferris who heads marketing told us their facility has been deep cleaned with a disinfectant called 360 Shield to kill germs. They also said, in the time doors were shuttered, a whole new wing of expansion was completed; that should give customers more space to roam, though as of Wednesday that space was not yet ready for gaming.

In addition to physical distancing restrictions, guests will have to undergo a temperature check before entering the building. All staff will be required to wear facemasks and use personal protective gear, while guests are asked to keep facemasks on not eating or drinking. At this time the state is still requiring card tables to remain closed, though Monarch told us some video machines offer similar gaming options.

"So, I think a lot of people are concerned about is how am I going to know when it's safe to visit because with our reduced occupancy we will have times when our building is quite full and you may not be able to have anyone come in. If you go to MonarchBlackHawk.com there's a chart on there that shows you the times in our building that are a little emptier times that are busier so you can plan your trip for a time that makes you feel most comfortable," Ferris said.

As for the buffet, Ferris said that's not allowed to open either, but the casino has added some of the most popular items from the buffet like snow crab legs to their menu.