Boston’s closest casino, Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, plans to reopen on July 12, with rules about distancing, masks, and more. Some, but not all, of the restaurants within the casino will. Wynn Las Vegas has released a 23-page “Health and Sanitation Program” that outlines how Wynn properties (including the adjacent Encore) will operate. New casino protocols cover five main areas including the casino cage, slot operations, table games operations, poker operations, and race and sportsbook operations. The resort, which includes the Wynn and Encore casinos, would give guests a package of sanitation amenities upon arrival, “containing masks, hand sanitizer and a COVID-19 awareness card,” with. LAS VEGAS (FOX5) - After Governor Steve Sisolak announced Tuesday that casinos can move forward with reopening plans on June 4, multiple Las Vegas area hotel-casinos announced reopening dates for.

1. Boston Encore Casino Reopening
2. Encore Casino Opening Date

EVERETT — As Marcia Hamilton drove into Encore Boston Harbor for the casino’s reopening Sunday morning, she saw employees outside, waving at her.

“It put a big smile on my face,” said Hamilton, 73, of Cambridge, who came to the casino for the slot machines — and just to get out of the house after months of quarantine. “I’m glad I’m back. I’m glad they’re working.”

Encore Boston Harbor, which had been shuttered since March when the state ordered business closures because of the coronavirus pandemic, reopened Sunday to a steady trickle of guests, excited to don masks and slather on hand sanitizer for a chance to get back on the floor.

The casino looked in many ways the same as it has — bright lights, colorful video slot machines, and people milling about, trying to find a lucky spot.

But reminders of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has left more than 8,000 people dead in Massachusetts since March, are everywhere. All employees and guests had to wear protective face coverings. When a gambler left a slot machine, a staff member swooped in with cleaning supplies.

The goal is “fun done safely,” said Eric Kraus, Encore’s head of public affairs.

Encore’s return, part of Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan, came after careful consideration from casino administrators and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, which set minimum standards for Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge Park, from the dimensions of plexiglass dividers between slot machines to where and when guests can have a drink.

The Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville opened Wednesday; MGM Springfield is opening its casino Monday, though its hotel will remain closed.

The Encore resort, which had about 4,200 employees in March, closed its doors but kept paying employees through the end of May, Kraus said. They furloughed about 11 percent of them at the beginning of June and another 3,000 at the start of July, before their reopening date was announced.

When the state gave the green light to the casino floor’s reopening, Encore brought back 1,700 employees. Every employee back at work has been tested for the coronavirus in the past week, Kraus said. They, like guests, have to have their temperatures taken when they come in, and anyone with a fever higher than 100.4 degrees will be sent home.

Though most people coming in Sunday brought their own protective face coverings, Kraus said staff have disposable paper masks on hand to give patrons who came without. Anyone not willing to wear a face covering will be asked to leave, he said.

Encore was able to learn from other casinos operated by its parent company, Wynn Resorts, in Macau and Las Vegas, Kraus said.

“We want you to leave your concerns behind and have a fun, enjoyable experience,” Kraus said.

As guests left the parking lot Sunday morning to enter the casino, they saw a large sign by the elevators to the casino floor reminding them not to enter if they feel sick or have recently come into contact with someone who had contracted the virus. Staff checking IDs at the entrance asked them to briefly lower their face masks and scanned them for high fevers. There were the newly installed plexiglass barriers between video slot machines and similar barriers keeping dealers and gamblers separated at tables.

It was not yet business as usual: Poker isn’t available. Neither are roulette and craps. Gamblers at table games are not touching the cards.

The Center Bar and nightclub remain closed, under state orders, and so is the spa. Gamblers can drink while seated at their machines but have to finish or throw away their drinks and put their masks back on when they move around the floor. Eating is allowed only in designated areas, and guests have to use their phones to pull up a menu and order.

Keronnie Leftdwrige, 42 of Chelmsford, came to Encore Sunday morning in a Caroline Panthers mask, a small tribute to his North Carolina roots. He noticed the new hand sanitizer stations, too.

“I’m out of the house,” he said. “That’s good.”

Before the pandemic, he typically came to play slots every other weekend, but while Encore was closed he made the significantly longer trip to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut, he said.

Boston Encore Casino Reopening

He was glad to be back, he said, trying his luck at the slot machines.

“It’s up and down right now,” he said Sunday morning. “I’m not trying to give too much money away on the first day back.”

Encore Boston Harbor shared some good news and some bad news on Monday afternoon – stating they would look to begin re-opening procedures no sooner than July 6, but also that they would have to furlough up to 3,000 employees to be able to open this summer.

The news comes just one week after the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) voted 5-0 on June 23 to accept the opening procedures for its casino licensees, including Encore. Casinos in Massachusetts will be opening in Phase 3 of Gov. Charlie Baker’s re-opening plan, and that will come no sooner than July 6. The casino plans to re-open the casino gaming floor, and supporting food and beverage outlets around the casino – though both will be at a much smaller capacity due to social distancing restrictions.

There will be no craps games, roulette games, poker games, poker rooms, and the numbers of slots will be reduced. While about 1,500 to 2,000 workers on the rolls will return for trainings and guidelines about opening that portion of the casino resort, another 3,000 will have to be furloughed.

“Pending final approval, Encore Boston Harbor plans to re-open the casino gaming area and supporting food and beverage outlets around the casino,” read a statement from the casino. “It also plans to open the hotel on a limited basis. When it re-opens, Encore Boston Harbor will bring back its employees in a thoughtful and measured protocol. Some employees working in the re-opened amenities and restaurants will return to work. Employees, who worked in areas for which a re-opening date is uncertain due to current restrictions, are being placed on furlough until further notice.”

Already, approximately 11 percent of the Encore workforce had been placed on furlough June 1. Prior to that – since the voluntary closing of the resort on March 15, Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox had made the decision to continue paying all employees and tipped employees. That was extended through the end of May, though properties at Las Vegas and Macau opened to the public and Encore Boston Harbor remained closed.

Encore had come up with an extensive health and safety program in May that was developed in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University and Georgetown University – and was also used at their other properties. Encore said it would use that as a road map, as well as the new guidelines from the MGC passed last week.

Encore Casino Opening Date

“In addition to the previously released Health and Safety Program, Encore Boston Harbor supports and will adhere to the additional directives aimed to reduce the risk to public health set forth by the MGC, including reductions in available gaming capacity,” read the statement. “As a result, the resort will re-open with amenities appropriate to the new rules and in support of the anticipated number of guests.”

The gaming industry has been a big question mark as COVID-19 restrictions lift and operators from China to Las Vegas to Everett wonder if customers will return in the numbers that were previously hosted. This has been often pondered in Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings from Wynn Resorts over the several months.

Encore officials said while many employees will be furloughed, it doesn’t mean their jobs are lost. They will be brought back thoughtfully, he said, as time goes by and restaurants, nightclubs and the full hotel can open.

Mayor Carlo DeMaria said he had confidence the casino would make good in rehiring all of the furloughed employees once the casino is up and running – and more areas are safe to open to the public.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Encore has made a good-faith effort to keep employees on the payroll with full benefits,” he said. “While it is unfortunate that they have to furlough many employees because they have generated zero revenue, I’m optimistic that once the casino re-opens they will be rehired.”

City Councilor Michael McLaughlin – who represents the area – said it shows no one, not even Encore, is immune to COVID-19.

“Hearing that 3,000 of those long promised and dreamed of careers have been furloughed is not pleasant news,” he said. “The time is now to stand up and work together to help regain our careers and businesses that call Everett home. I am sure for the 3,000 workers furloughed this week this news doesn’t come lightly to you and your families. I hope that we all can come together to support the families across our region that have negatively been hurt by this unfortunate situation.”