Three more Fresno-area casinos close as a precaution against spreading coronavirus
The Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville and the Club One cardroom casino in downtown Fresno are the second and third casinos in the central San Joaquin Valley to announce temporary closures as a precaution to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
And Wednesday the management of 500 Club Casino in Clovis said they would be closing at midnight.
The casinos follow Table Mountain Casino in Friant, which closed Monday evening through the end of March.
Club One posted on its Facebook page Monday night that it would close, “for the first time in 25 years,” starting at 2 a.m. Tuesday through 6 a.m. March 31.
“We value the ongoing health and safety of our guests and staff members and respect public health expert recommendations to limit social gatherings unless absolutely necessary,” said the Club One post. “We are not aware of any current health concerns of Club One casino guests or employees. …”
Eagle Mountain, operated by the Tule River Tribal Council in the Tulare County foothills east of Porterville, said the council and the Tule River Public Health Authority decided together after meetings Monday that the casino would close starting at 4 a.m. Wednesday. April 3 is the tentative reopening date.
“We’re taking necessary precautions as advised by the (Centers for Disease Control) recommendations and in consideration with our Tribal Government,” tribal chairman Neil Peyron and casino general manager Matthew Mingrone said in a prepared statement issued late Monday afternoon. “During the closure, our property will be thoroughly deep cleaned and sanitized by a professional cleaning company.”
Payron and Mingrone added that casino employees would continue to receive their base pay and health benefits during the closure.
Other casinos
It’s unclear whether other local casinos plan to follow suit in light of guidance from state and national health experts advising people to avoid public gatherings of more than 10 people.
Marketing representatives from the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold did not return calls from The Bee as of Tuesday afternoon to address coronavirus plans. Both Chukchansi Gold and the Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore offered statements on their websites and social media declaring their commitment to safety and ensuring frequent cleaning of their facilities to reduce chances of spreading the virus.
Kerry Smith, general manager of Mono Wind Casino in Auberry, told The Bee on Tuesday that the casino has been closing from midnight to 8 a.m. every day “to do a deep cleaning and sanitizing of the entire property.” On its Facebook page, Mono Wind was promoting its St. Patrick’s Day specials and encouraging people to try their luck in the casino.
“We’ve got all kinds of precautionary hand sanitizers, we’re wiping everything down when people get up and leave a machine,” Smith said. Only 120 people at a time are being allowed into the casino, and service in the restaurant is being capped at 25 people.
“We are still open, so come take a seat and win big,” the 500 Club cardroom in Clovis proclaimed in a Facebook post Monday night. The Bee could not reach the casino’s general manager on Monday or Tuesday.
On Friday, the state Department of Public Health issued recommendations to entertainment venues in California, including casinos, to minimize coronavirus exposure during what has been declared a global pandemic. The measures for gambling venues included more frequent cleaning of chips, card-shuffling machines and other gaming equipment, more frequent cleaning and disposal of playing cards, encourage social distancing of six feet between people except for allowing family members to play together, and limiting the number of people in lines.
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 3:01 PM.
