Cache Creek stopped bar service unless food is purchased.
The few that have strengthened restrictions since November’s surge are still far looser than nontribal businesses. Two exceptions: Pechanga and Pala Casino Spa Resort, near San Diego, say they cap attendance at 50% of normal. Gaming and dining capacity is more limited, but few specify by how much. Buffets and many, but not all, restaurants are closed. Some confirmed the policies and underscored their commitment to safety others didn’t respond.Īll post significant restrictions, such as temperature checks at the door, required face coverings and more space between slot machines. The Associated Press checked policies on websites of California’s 10 largest tribal casinos and sought comment from each by email or phone. Viejas Casino & Resort, east of San Diego, advertises a $50,000 bingo “celebration” on New Year’s Eve.īradley Pollock, a public health professor at UC Davis Health, acknowledged that tribal rights and the economic benefits that casinos deliver, but said that “anything that encourages people to come together physically is not good.” He said New Year’s Eve celebrations are “even more egregious.”
Thunder Valley, near Sacramento, promotes “2021 Celebration Giveaway” drawings Friday and Saturday, with $8,000 grand prizes. Some casinos are sticking to festivities. It’s 2021 - finally! Where can you go and what can you do? Travel & Experiences New Year’s Day 2021: What’s open and closed in L.A.?
