Oneida Nation casinos to reopen, with restrictions

The Oneida Indian Nation says its three casinos will open, in part, on June 10, while following strict health and safety guidelines.

Casualties, the coronavirus pandemic forced turning stone casino to close its doors for the first time in the 27 years it's been open.

Now, the oneida indian nation is undertaking the costly and complex process of reopening while still amidst a global pandemic.

Newschannel 2's joleen ferris is live at the casino tonight.

Things are going to be noticeably different at the place that's open around the clock and draws thousands, daily, from around the world.

Closing down turning stone resort casino, point place and yellow brick road casinos wasn't as easy flipping a switch.

The reopening, slated for june 10th, won't be, either.

It will be staggered and fragmented.

Everything isn't opening june 10th.

Turning stone's exit 33 entertainment complex won't open to start.

Nor will the buffet restaurant, showroom or events center.

And, for now, no guests from outside a 120- mile radius allowed.

.

None .

None :56 "and then we will be checking ids and zip codes, really, and making sure they're within both to enforce the 120 mile radius but also as a part of our contract tracing coordination with the local counties" in order to make such checking feasible, entry into turning stone will be restricted :35 "limiting the number of entrances the guests will be able to come in to.

And when guests come in we will make sure that they have a face covering, show that they have a face covering and if they do not have a face covering, they will be required to purche onthere" theo ensure social distances ...they say face coverings will take care of any such requirement.

But they're moving tables to create distance in restaurants, where you can't always cover your face.

Officials there say the oneida nation has always invested significant time and money in employee and guest health and safety....they're just going to ramp it up 10:47 "we're setting up a tent in our employee parking lot.

They'll be tested, tempearture and health screening before they get on the bus.

We've significantly increased the number of buses so there will be spaces between the employees on the bus."

It's not ideal, but necessary.

Nation officials are just happy to have their employees come back to work.

Sending thousands of them away ...was a dark day.

14:37 we have employees, thousands and thousand of employees, some of which have been with us more than 25 years" who've never gone a week without being on property just ecause they don't take very long vacations if they don't want to.

And i think that was a very difficult thing to see taken away from people's lives" > you might have noticed- entertainment reopening iphase y july.

So how is the nation reopening their enterprises about three weeks early?

The short answer-as a sovereign nation, they fall outside any state process for reopening.