- Watersmeet Casino Michigan
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A second Michigan casino will reopen Friday morning in the Upper Peninsula.
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Tuesday’s announcement by Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet came one day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmerannounced plans to reopen much of Northern Michigan this weekend.
The Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians facility, near the Wisconsin border, will join Island Resort and Casino in Harris as the only of 26 Michigan casinos taking bets this holiday weekend.
Lac Vieux Desert Resort and Casino, Watersmeet: Address, Phone Number, Lac Vieux Desert Resort and Casino Reviews: 3/5. If the goal is to close it down, they are. Gambling Problem Helplines: National: 1-800-522-4700 Michigan: 1-800-270-7117. Watersmeet Northern Waters Casino Resort The Lac Vieux Desert Resort Casino is a Native American Casino located in the township of Watersmeet, Michigan. It has 25,000 square feet gaming space, a hotel with 132 r.
Island Resort and Casino opened on Saturday, the first one after every Michigan casino closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Plan details Northern Waters safety precautions
Tuesday’s announcement said Northern Waters will open at 8 a.m. local time, and 9 a.m. in the Eastern time zone, which most of Michigan is in.
The announcement said the hotel will open at a later date, casino equipment will be sterilized and that employees have received extensive sanitation training.
Other safety measures include:
- You must have an existing Players Club card/account to enter, unless accompanying a spouse/significant other who has a Players Club card/account.
- Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to midnight daily.
- The maximum capacity will be 150 guests.
- All guests will be pre-screened upon entering the casino.
- 155 slot machines will be available for play, abiding by the social distancing protocol.
- Guests and employees will be required to wear a mask. You will be allowed to remove your mask while seated at a slot machine.
- Guests must observe the social distancing recommendation of 6 feet unless you are from the same household.
- Guests are encouraged to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer provided upon entering and exiting the gaming floor.
- No food will be permitted on the gaming floor. A limited menu will be available and eating food will be permitted only in designated areas.
- No smoking is permitted on the gaming floor. There will be a designated smoking area in the building.
- Beverage service will be available from cocktail servers. There will be no self-serve coffee and soda stations available for guests.
- Please be respectful of our employees. They are working hard to keep you safe and healthy.
Michigan officials, tribes were at odds
Island Resort and Casino’s original plan to reopen was rebuffed by Whitmer’s attorney general.
A letter from the office of Dana Nesselthreatened “civil and criminal penalties” for customers and employees at the proposed reopening earlier this month.
Rep. Beau LaFave, a Republican representing the Island Resort district, drafted a resolution last week to reaffirm the sovereignty of tribal nations.
All this as Whitmer, a Democrat, is facing a lawsuit from the other side of the aisle challenging her executive powers. Michigan Republicans hold a majority in both of congressional chambers.
The casino issue was discussed at a meeting last week between state tribal leaders, Whitmer and other state officials.
Gov. Whitmer reopening much of state this weekend
Whitmer announced Monday that many businesses, including bars and restaurants at a maximum 50% capacity, can reopen in the U.P. and Northern Michigan on Friday.
Eleven of the state’s 23 tribal casinos are in the U.P., and five others are in the Traverse City Region, which also is partially reopening on Friday.
Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the unofficial opening of the summer season in Michigan, where many residents open up seasonal homes in the northern part of the state.
Detroit’s trio of commercial casinos will be closed through at least May 28, as they are subject to the governor’s continued Stay Home order for much of the state.
On Tuesday afternoon, the American Gaming Association was reporting that 91 casinos nationwide were reopened and 898 were closed.
A Michigan tribal casino in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula has temporarily re-closed because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus.
Northern Waters Casino in Watersmeet, near the Wisconsin border, closed Aug. 5 with plans to reopen a week later after a “cooling-off period.”
However, less than 24 hours before Thursday’s scheduled reopening, Northern Waters announced it would remain closed indefinitely.
Northern Waters is operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, one of 12 federally recognized tribes in Michigan.
Upper Peninsula experiencing COVID-19 spike
As of Thursday, Michigan reported735 confirmed coronavirus cases in the Upper Peninsula, including 18 deaths. There were also 96 probable cases.
Watersmeet’s Gogebic County has had a recent spike, reaching 100 cumulative cases this month. That number was at 122 on Thursday, including one death.
In a written statement on Wednesday, Northern Waters Casino General Manager Michael J. Broderick said there was no planned reopening date.
“This decision was not… easy,” Broderick wrote. “It was one that considered the ever-changing situation that we and the community as a whole is in with the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent number of cases in the area.”
Northern Waters closed for just two months in spring
Northern Waters was one of Michigan’s final casinos to close on March 21 because of the spreading virus.
Then, it was Michigan’s second casino of 26 to reopen on May 22.
“At this time, we do not have a specific date to reopen but will let you know when that date is as soon as we can. And when we say ‘soon,’ we mean it!” Broderick wrote. “We know how much you miss your favorite place to play in the UP and we want to make sure it continues to be a ‘safe bet,’ plus we really miss you too!”
Watersmeet Casino Michigan
All but one of the state’s 23 tribal casinos reopened before the trio of casinos in Detroit reopened last week in southeast Michigan.
According to the COVID-19 Casino Tracker compiled by the American Gaming Association, 139 casinos were closed(14.0%) nationwide Thursday, while 851 were open.
Watersmeet Casino Closing Michigan
Meanwhile, the tribe’s Lac Vieux Desert Golf Course, as well as the convenience store and service station, will remain open for now.
Watersmeet Casino Closing Michigan
Northern Waters is not the first Midwest casino to reopen and then close again. For one, Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh closed for two days and then reopened on July 10 after an uptick in western Pennsylvania cases.
PointsBet sportsbook coming later in Watersmeet
The Lac Vieux Desert tribe was one of Michigan’s first to announce a sportsbook partnership after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed expanded gambling laws late in 2019, permitting sports betting.
PointsBet Sportsbook has partnered with the tribe for its online gambling operations in Michigan.
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In addition to mobile sports betting, the partnership includes the Australian company’s first plans to launch an online casino. The Jan. 6 announcement also indicated the tribe and PointsBet were in negotiations for a retail sportsbook.
Watersmeet Casino Closing Casinos
Online gambling is expected to launch in Michigan later this year.