PRESS RELEASE
ROLLING HILLS CASINO RELEASES HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES IMPLEMENTED PRIOR TO RE-OPENING
New procedures in place to protect employees and guests
Corning, Calif. – (May 14, 2020) – The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians, owner and operator of the Rolling Hills Casino and Resort in Corning, California, has released a comprehensive list of procedures and safeguards the casino has implemented prior to the re-opening of the property. The new operating procedures were designed in conjunction with public health experts from the Rolling Hills Clinics and following the guidance from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Tribal Council is working together with Tehama County to make decisions that are in the best interest of the community.
The Tribal Council made the decision to temporarily close Rolling Hills Casino on March 17 in support of the efforts to help slow the spread of the growing Coronavirus (COVID-19). The decision was made to protect the health and safety of their employees, guests at the resort and the surrounding communities.
“The health and safety of our guests and employees is our main priority. We are taking a range of steps to ensure they are protected. For that reason, we have consulted with our team of health professionals to implement best practices; we’re retraining staff and we have new operating procedures in place,” said Andrew “Dru” Alejandre, Tribal Chairman. “We are anxious to welcome our guests and employees back, but we are making sure the safety measures are in place prior to our re-opening. We believe our extensive list of new processes is more complete than any other comparable facility you can find.”
Rolling Hills employs more than 500 employees who live in Corning and the surrounding communities. “We’re ready to get back to work,” said Ong Lao who has been at Rolling Hills for more than 17 years. “We trust Dru, and the casino management, and I believe that we are all prepared to do what we need to do to make Rolling Hills safe for each other and for our guests.”
The broad list of sanitation and safety procedures Rolling Hills Casino has implemented to prepare for re-opening include:
- Screening Measures: Rolling Hills Casino has implemented screening measures for all employees and guests before admittance into the casino. Anyone displaying a temperature higher than 100.4 degrees will not be permitted to enter the property.
Three state-of-the-art walk through temperature kiosks will be placed at the casino’s limited entry points for guests and employees. These kiosks will be able to take a non-invasive temperature reading instantly and give an alert if an abnormal temperature is read. This will speed up the entry process.
- Innovative Machine Cleaning: Rolling Hills Casino is the first casino in the nation to implement a new process with Acres Gaming, the manufacturer of the casino’s slot dispatch system (Kai), that promptly alerts a “Clean Team” member when a player has left a gaming machine so that it can be thoroughly cleaned. Rolling Hills Casino is at the forefront of new technology by developing this functionality.
- Air Filtration: Rolling Hills Casino is increasing the capacity of the air filtration system to completely replenish the air inside of the casino with outside air every four and a half minutes. In addition, ozone ionizers will be in use in the hotel rooms and the casino.
- Sanitation: Rolling Hills Casino has implemented increased and enhanced routine cleaning. Hand-sanitation stations will be readily available throughout the casino and the hotel, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Thorough cleaning of gaming machines after each use will be completed by a newly created, Clean Team.
- Physical Distancing: Rolling Hills Casino is implementing a six-foot physical distancing policy, wherever feasible, and is reconfiguring the casino floor to promote social distancing. In addition, plastic barriers will be placed at all point of sale registers and counter tops.
- Mandatory Masks: All Rolling Hills Casino employees and guests will be required to wear masks upon entering the property.
A date for reopening the Rolling Hills Casino and Resort has not yet been set. Paskenta tribal leaders continue to work closely with health experts and will decide when it is safe to reopen. Until further notice, Rolling Hills Casino and Resort hours of operation will be 7:00 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
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ABOUT THE PASKENTA BAND OF NOMLAKI INDIANS
The Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians owns Rolling Hills Casino & Resort, which includes the Casino, three restaurants, The Equestrian Center at Rolling Hills and The Links Golf Course. They employ over 500 team members, most of whom work full time with health care benefits and 401k options. Each year, hundreds of thousands of guests visit Rolling Hills Casino, bringing with them tourist dollars that benefit the local economy. The Casino and the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians are strong community partners supporting local programs through generous grants and sponsorships. The Paskenta Nomlaki Foundation donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to community organizations each year, with over $9 million dollars donated to benefit local health, safety and education programs.
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