St Charles Casino Open
statement by michael jerlecki, vice president & General Manager, on the reopening of hollywood casino st. louis
Ameristar Casino in St. Charles just announced it will reopen Monday, June 1. The casino is promising a safe and comfortable environment for guests. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann. Ameristar Casino in St. Charles reopens Ameristar Casino in St. Charles security officer Herbert Edwards, left, and security supervisor Brandon Anderson, right, welcome guests back to the casino on. Ameristar Casino in St. Charles is reopening to the public on June 1, with a plan to lower the odds of anyone getting sick. Capacity limits, social distancing and a mask requirement for staff.
Ameristar Casino in St. Charles is reopening to the public on June 1, with a plan to lower the odds of anyone getting sick. Capacity limits, social distancing and a mask requirement for staff and a.
Social Distancing
- Capacity on our gaming floor may be limited, but we do not expect this to impact the customer experience.
- The installation of floor decals and signage to strictly enforce social distancing guidelines will be placed in areas where lines typically form.
- Table game seating will be limited, and some slot machines will be placed out of service.
- There will be no large drawings, tournaments, or special events.
- Restaurant offerings will be limited to to-go orders from Hops House, Phat Thai, and Charlie Gitto's.
- Due to county restrictions, no beverages can be served or consumed indoors at this time.
- The gift shop, fitness center and valet parking will also be closed.
- Valet parking will be closed, and the parking area typically used for valet parked cars is available for self-parking. Additional handicap parking spaces will be added to both casino parking areas.
- The hotel has reopened.
Health & Safety
- Team members and vendors will be required to wear masks and will undergo a health screening each day, including temperature checks, prior to their shift.
- Based on the ruling by the St. Louis County Health Department, and in order to help reduce the spread of COVID – 19, Hollywood Casino St. Louis will be requiring all persons in public areas will be required to wear a mask covering the face and nose. Patrons may remove masks temporarily while eating or drinking or when asked by casino staff for identification. Guests not adhering to these requirements will be advised of the requirements and warned that if they continue to disregard they will be asked to leave the property.
- Slots and table games will be thoroughly and regularly cleaned throughout the day.
- Sanitizer stations will be installed on the casino floor and be readily available throughout the facility.
- Plexi-glass separators will be installed at the players club, cage, security podiums and other locations.
Casino
Every other slot machine is disabled.
Table games seating will be limited. The process of some of the games may be altered to limit contact of chips, cards and cash.
The Poker Room will be open 24/7 daily, based off on player demand.
Masks
Based on the ruling by the St. Louis County Health Department, and in order to help reduce the spread of COVID – 19, Hollywood Casino St. Louis will be requiring all persons in public areas will be required to wear a mask covering the face and nose. Patrons may remove masks temporarily while eating or drinking or when asked by casino staff for identification. Guests not adhering to these requirements will be advised of the requirements and warned that if they continue to disregard they will be asked to leave the property.
Food and Beverage
Ameristar Casino St Charles Opening
Due to county restrictions, no beverages can be served or consumed indoors at this time.
99 Hops House: To-Go Only
Sunday – Thursday: Noon – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: Noon – 1 a.m.
Charlie Gitto's: To-Go Only
Sunday – Thursday: 2 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Phat Tai: To-Go Only
Friday – Sunday: 5 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Monday – Thursday: 5 p.m. – Midnight
Celebrity Grill: Temporarily Closed
Hollywood & Grind: Temporarily Closed
Final Cut Steakhouse: Closed
Eat Up Buffet: Closed
Entertainment
Live entertainment is back at 99 Hops House.
There is no live entertainment planned for Boogie Nights.
Hotel
When Will St Charles Casino Open
The hotel has reopened.
Q: Is the Casino Open and what are the Hours of Operation?
A:
• The casino is open 24/7!
• Hops House is open for to-go orders only from noon – 9 p.m. Sunday – Thursday and noon – 1 a.m. Friday & Saturday.
• Charlie Gitto’s is also open for to-go orders only. It’s best to check out their website for up-to-date times and reservations.
• Phat Thai is open for to-go orders only from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday through Sunday and 5 p.m. to midnight from Monday to Thursday.
• Eat Up Buffet, Celebrity Grill, Hollywood & Grind, and Final Cut Steakhouse are not open.
Q: How are you promoting health and safety?
A: We adhere to robust cleaning practices, social distancing, and encourage use of masks. We have also implemented:
• Signage at entrances depicting a checklist of COVID-19 symptoms asking team members and guests to refrain from entering the property if necessary.
• Guests are encouraged to sanitize their hands upon entering the property and use sanitizer stations located prominently throughout the property.
• Signage and floor markers are installed where lines normally form for customer queuing.
• Team members and vendors are required to wear masks and undergo a health screening each day, including temperature checks, prior to entering the property.
• Based on the ruling by the St. Louis County Health Department, and in order to help reduce the spread of COVID – 19, Hollywood Casino St. Louis will be requiring all persons in public areas will be required to wear a mask covering the face and nose. Patrons may remove masks temporarily while eating or drinking or when asked by casino staff for identification. Guests not adhering to these requirements will be advised of the requirements and warned that if they continue to disregard they will be asked to leave the property.
• Increased frequency of cleaning and deep cleaning high touch point areas is taking place.
Q: Can I wear a mask or gloves for safety reasons?
A: Yes. Every guest that enters the casino is required to briefly show their uncovered face at the turnstile location prior to entering. Gloves are acceptable to wear.
Q: What specifically are you doing to encourage social distancing?
A: Some slot machines are placed out of service and we are reducing the number of positions available at table games. Plexiglass dividers are installed at many counters. Casino capacity will also limited as needed.
Q: What happens if the casino gets full?
A: Contingency plans are in place and include controlling access to the building using security officers and directional signage placed along Casino Center Drive. If needed, priority access lines for Owners Club and Elite guests will be used.
Q: Do I have a Free Play bonus offer available? What about gift giveaways, drawings and events?
A: You can view any available offers at mychoice.com. Make sure your email has been updated at mychoice.com in order to receive notification of upcoming offers. If we are unable to connect with you via email, you will miss out on valuable offers! We have no gift giveaways or drawings planned at this time. Other events will be scheduled at a later date.
Q: When will you open the hotel?
A: The hotel has reopened. The Fitness Center remains closed.
Q: What about my tier status and mycash?
A:
• No tiers were downgraded during the closure.
• We are providing guests a minimum of 12 months to earn their tier status for 2021
• We are suspending mycash expiration until further notice
Q: What else should be noted?
A: Please note the following:
• Only one casino cashier cage is open and social distancing is promoted; we recommend using kiosks to cash tickets and break bills.
• Please use casino bars or beverage servers for all drinks; self-serve beverage stations are closed.
• Valet service is temporarily not available. More handicap parking has been added and the former valet lot is now available for guest parking.
• The VIP Lounge is open with limited service for Elite and Owners Club guests from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m. Monday – Thursday, 4 p.m. – Midnight Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday.
• The best way to stay up-to-date is through Facebook and by visiting our website. We’ll be posting live updates and more information as it becomes available.
For some Missourians, this week seemed like a fine time to place a few bets.
The Missouri Gaming Commission is allowing all 13 casinos in the state to reopen this week, after more than two months of being closed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Ameristar Casino in St. Charles and Lumière Place in St. Louis are the only casinos reopening in the region Monday. Casinos in St. Louis County, including Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights and River City Casino in Lemay, must remain closed due to county restrictions spurred by the pandemic. Casinos in Illinois are also not allowed to reopen yet.
The entrance to the Ameristar on Monday afternoon featured a large traffic sign that read “Casino Open” in capital orange letters, and cars steadily streamed into the parking lot.
Jessie Hill, a St. Charles resident, said news of the Ameristar reopening flooded his Facebook feed, so he decided to come test his luck in a game of Texas Hold ’em with a friend.
“We live right down the road and like there really hasn’t been much to do since everything’s been shut down, so it gives us an opportunity to get out of the house and do something,” Hill said.
But gambling during a pandemic is going to look different, said David Strow, vice president of corporate communications for Boyd Gaming. Boyd Gaming owns and operates the Ameristar and 28 other casinos nationwide.
Chips, dice, playing cards and slot machines all are touched hundreds of times a day at casinos. Strow said his casinos are putting numerous safety protocols in place to reduce the risk of spreading the virus on those high-touch items.
Dealers place cards face up, so players don’t have to touch them. Chips and dice are regularly sanitized, but people are encouraged to frequently wash their hands after touching them. Also, every other slot machine is turned off and Blackjack tables are limited to three players a piece to maintain social distancing. Chairs on the gaming floor have been removed and the building is restricted to half capacity.
Every dealer and casino employee is required to wear a mask and if a guest does not have a mask, they’re offered one, but not required to wear it.
Most restaurants in the Ameristar have reopened, although the night club will remain closed for now. The hotel is also operating at half capacity and is not offering valet service currently.
Strow said the casino is ready to open, despite furloughing a majority of employees in April and months of significant revenue loss.
For the last two months, Strow said the company had no revenue coming in, as all Boyd Gaming casinos were closed nationwide. The company wrote in a letter to the state in May that depending on revenue after reopening, potentially 25% to 60% of employees could be laid off.
“The range in that letter really reflects that uncertainty,” Strow said. “It’s an honest statement of we don’t know what that’s going to look like two months from now, we don’t know what our business levels are going to look like, what our staffing levels are going to look like.”
Casinos taxes are the state’s fifth largest source of revenue, according to the state gaming association.
Closures compounded by slow business from hesitant customers could hurt state income, but Strow said he is hopeful people will be back to relieve stress from being under stay-at-home orders.
“People do need that escape; they still need entertainment,” Strow said. “And so we can continue to offer them that.”
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