The Oxford Casino is still working on the details to reopen its casino and provide its customers a safe and healthy gaming experience.

This week, the state approved guidelines to allow the state’s two casinos in Oxford and Bangor to reopen.

“We are in the process of a phased reopening,” said Jack Sours, the vice president and general manager of Oxford Casino. “We have a COVID checklist from the state. We have to go through the process to comply with that.”

Working with the general managers of both properties, the state developed a plan that would divide the main hall of the casino into four quadrants of 50 people each, for a total of 200 customers at one time.

Oxford Casino is rated for 2,700 people, which is a 93% reduction in capacity, Sours said.

Check points will be established between the four zones to ensure that no more than 50 people are in each quadrant.

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Sours says that he wants everything perfect, safe and comfortable environment to make sure “we are the gold standard” for COVID-19 openings.

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All guests and employees must wear masks and have their temperatures checked upon entering. Anyone with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be denied admittance.

According to its website, the casino is asking guests to stay home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. “Please do not visit if you have a fever, if you are not feeling well, have recently traveled outside the U.S., or have had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19. Stay home and visit when the time is right.”

In addition to plexiglass barriers, the casino will have 70 hand sanitizing stations in the casino. Customers will be asked to provide names and phone numbers for contact tracing, just like restaurants are doing.

While table games are allowed under state mandate, Sours says “initially we intend to phase in just our slot machines for now.” Roughly 300 slots will be available to play.

The hotel and restaurant will not open at the outset, but a limited food menu will be available on the casino floor.

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Hollywood Casino in Bangor is scheduled to open at noon Friday with similar restrictions.

Sours hopes to show state officials that the policies in place at Oxford will demonstrate how safe and responsible the changes made to the facility are and allow him to increase capacity beyond the initial 200-person limit.

But in the meantime, the casino will feature an unusually intimate experience for the Oxford customer.

“It will be a different feel for our guests,” Sours said.

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coronavirus, oxford casino, Oxford Maine
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