New Jersey casinos have not been given the green light to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has laid out the health and safety guidelines that both customers and employees will have to follow once business can resume.
All guests and workers at the Atlantic City entertainment venue will be required to wear face coverings unless eating or drinking. Face masks will be provided to guests who forget to bring one, and other protective equipment will be given to employees who require it.
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All guests and employees will have their temperatures taken upon entering the property. Those with temperatures of 100.4 degrees or higher will not be allowed to enter.
Guests also will be required to practice social distancing across the complex. More than 750 signs will remind people to stay six feet apart. Additionally, guests will be required to allow for one vacant position between slot machines and table games unless together in a group.
All restaurants and bars will reopen but they will enforce capacity limits.
Capacity limits also will be enforced for select games, as the hotel and casino expects that there will be an overall 50% reduction in guest capacity under the new guidelines. The mandated maximum capacity limits will be posted at each venue.
Plexiglass has been installed at the front desk, casino cage, wildcard services, sports book, box office and some table games.
Guests under the age of 21 will not be permitted upon reopening unless they have a hotel or restaurant reservation. All shows and the Fresh Harvest Buffet will remain suspended until further notice.
More than 200 hand sanitizer dispensers, many of which are touch-free, will be placed in entrances, valet and reception locations, the hotel lobby, casino floor, meeting and convention spaces, elevator landings, pools and exercise areas.
More than 100 employees have been designated to keep high-touch surface areas clean and disinfected across the complex. They will focus on all gaming surfaces, chips, hotel rooms, restaurants and the pool. All employees at the hotel and casino will undergo training to enforce health and safety guidelines.
"The health and safety of both you and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City team members is truly our number one priority," the company said in a statement. "Whether you're planning your next visit to Hard Rock Atlantic City or are considering future travel plans, we look forward to welcoming you back and keeping you informed about what we are doing to keep guests and team members safe and sound."
Hard Rock has also established a committee to ensure that the health and safety guidelines are followed by guests and enforced by employees. Hotel and casino security will be responsible for administering temperature checks, monitoring entrances and exits, enforcing social distancing requirements.
New Jersey's casinos have been closed since March 16 to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. It is unclear when casinos will be permitted to resume operations.
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