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The Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino in Coarsegold and the Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore both announced Friday that they are closing their doors temporarily starting Friday evening as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.
The announcements come a day after California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a sweeping directive for all residents of the state to stay at home to minimize the potential for the contagious virus to be spread to more people. Tribal leaders with the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians, which operates the Chukchansi casino off Highway 41 in Madera County, said the closure starts at 6 p.m. Friday and will continue through at least March 31.
Leaders of the Tachi-Yokut tribe on the Santa Rosa Rancheria near Lemoore, in Kings County, said the closure of Tachi Palace will begin at 11 p.m. Friday. No potential reopening date was included in the tribe’s announcement.
The Chukchansi Gold and Tachi Palace closures leave the Mono Wind Casino in Auberry, in the Fresno County foothills, as the only tribal casino still operating in the central San Joaquin Valley, but with reduced hours. Two local cardroom casinos, Club One in downtown Fresno and the 500 Club in Clovis, both closed down temporarily earlier this week because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Table Mountain Casino in Friant, northeast of Fresno, and Eagle Mountain Casino in the Tulare County foothills near Porterville, were the first two casino operations in the central San Joaquin Valley to announce that they would shut down temporarily for coronavirus concerns.
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Indian tribes are considered sovereign states and are not bound by state government regulations. But there are state and federal regulations governing their gaming and casino operations.
Health and safety concerns
Chukchansi tribal leaders “determined that a temporary closure is required to protect the public health and safety.”
“The closure is required by the Tribe’s compact with the State of California, which mandates that the casino be operated in compliance with the Tribe’s federally-approved gaming ordinance,” the tribe said in a statement. “The ordinance, as well as National Indian Gaming Commission regulations, requires that the facility be operated in a manner that adequately protects the public health and safety.”
At the Tachi casino, leaders had taken measures since the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic to reduce seating capacity in restaurants and the casino and reducing the number of available slot machines to promote greater social distancing. The casino also closed its bingo hall and table games, canceled events, and encouraged visitors to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer stations throughout the building.
“While dedicating these additional resources in response to COVID-19 has been impactful, it is now clear that a more extensive action is necessary for the well-being of all,” Santa Rosa Rancheria tribal council chairman Leo Sisco said in a written statement. “We will continue to closely track every new development related to the pandemic.”
Sisco said Tachi Palace employees will receive 15 days of pay and benefits over the next month during the closure.
For workers at Chukchansi Gold, the casino’s management said it will extend medical, dental, vision and hearing benefits without interruption.
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