GRASS VALLEY (CBS13) — As some casinos set a reopening date for June, one has been up and going since Monday.
The Towers Casino in Grass Valley announced they are open for card games, despite the state order not to. But on Tuesday night, employees told CBS13 they had been told to shut down by order of the governor.
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It's unclear how this will be enforced. CBS13 reached out to the Nevada County Health Department about enforcement of the health order but did not hear back before our deadline Tuesday night.
There's a huge focus on sanitization at the casino. A sign to 'wash before you play' is on the front door and masks are required for everyone. About a dozen photos posted on their Facebook page show people playing cards with masks and gloves on, but not much room for social distancing.
Some people in Grass Valley said it's exciting to see the place open up.
'I'd feel safe going anywhere and if I don't I'd wear a mask and gloves,' said Kindra Nelson.
According to the Towers Casino website, employees are following strict rules including sanitizing chips after they are cashed in, sanitizing cup holders after every use, and wiping down the table railings after each person.
The early reopening is sparking interest from other businesses in the community.
'Well, I think ‘why am I not open but they are?' And good for them because I think it's time that we do it,' said Bob Thompson, who owns the Cork 49 wine bar.
Thompson is preparing to reopen his wine bar while following every single guideline the county is asking for.
'It's a little difficult to follow everything that they want. But we're trying, we want to open these gates,' he said.
Nevada County has received approval from the state to move faster through phase 2. This gives a green light to malls, child care facilities and restaurants for dine-in as long as safety precautions can be met. But not casinos.
Tower Casino Grass Valley Ca
But as bottom lines get closer, businesses are getting antsy.
'If I don't open and make money, I'm a week away, two weeks away from closing forever and we don't want that. Not in this county, not in this town,' Thompson said.
Shut down the next day
The Towers Casino in Grass Valley, California was open for card games on Monday despite the state order forbidding them from doing so. The very next day, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an order for the venue to shut down its operations, according to the facility's employees.
It is unclear if further action will be taken by the authorities against the owners of this casino.
In the six-table poker room, there were three tables open for cash games. The Monday reopening of the card room was announced through the casino's social media, with an image of one of its games making its way onto Twitter:
Disregarding state orders
While California's Nevada County was given approval to move more quickly through phase two of the state's reopening plans, the permission does not cover casinos such as Towers Casino. Thus, the reason for the forced closure.
Phase two only covers malls, dine-in restaurants, and child care centers once certain guidelines are followed. There are four phases in total as part of the state's reopening plan, with the likes of card rooms and casinos able to open in phase three. There is no clear indication yet of when phase three will be launched.
it must adhere to the rules of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Gambling Control
What is before the flop in poker. Towers Casino is not a tribal facility and is licensed by the California Gambling Control Commission. Therefore, it must adhere to the rules of the Department of Justice's Bureau of Gambling Control.
Tribal casinos exempt
There are some tribal casinos in the state that are ready to open for business. Governor Newsom urged these tribal facilities to remain closed, but acknowledged that they do have the right to open. This is because they are on sovereign land, making them exempt from local and state government orders.
Health and safety policies
While Towers Casino has posted signs informing patrons of sanitizing policies and it is evident in the above photo that the players are all wearing masks, it does not appear that there was much social distancing at the poker table.
Towers Casino Grass Valley Ca
Some locals were happy that the facility had reopened. Kindra Nelson told Sacramento's CBS13:
Towers Casino Grass Valley California
I'd feel safe going anywhere and if I don't I'd wear a mask and gloves.'
As per the Towers Casino website, all workers are to follow strict health and safety guidelines. This includes sanitizing all chips once they have been cashed in, as well as regularly sanitizing cup holders and the railings of the table games after each person has left the table.
Major casino companies have been publishing their own extensive health and safety plans for reopening. MGM Resorts International, for instance, has a seven-point plan, and both Las Vegas Sands and Caesars Entertainment have also released their new protocols in recent weeks.
