For Immediate Release
June 3, 2020
DESERT DIAMOND CASINOS REOPENS JUNE 5 AT 1:00 PM
Extensive New Measures in Place for Guest Safety
TUCSON, Ariz. – Extensive new safety precautions will be in place when Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment welcomes guests back to all four of its properties at 1:00 p.m. on June 5, 2020. When the doors reopen, guests will find the same excellent service, dining and gaming experience that Desert Diamond Casinos is known for, in a safe environment for all to enjoy. Video updates on the safety measures can be viewed at youtu.be/KcsVRNNvgWs (Southern Arizona) and youtu.be/pTKQ7lfUrhg (West Valley).
Desert Diamond Casinos is offering guests the highest level of protection at every step of their visit. Re-opening the facility will take place in phases, with CDC and other relevant guidelines either being met or exceeded. An overview of key safety steps in this first phase include:
- Mandatory Temperature Screening and Masks – On arrival, temperature screenings and masks will be required for all guests and team members. Masks will be provided to anyone who does not have one. Guests will be able to remove masks to eat, drink, and smoke.
- Social Distancing Guidelines – Maintaining at least six feet between parties is mandatory and signage and markings have been implemented at each facility. Hand sanitizer stations and Plexiglas barriers have been installed in key areas.
- Gaming Precautions – Slot machines will be available at all locations, with every other machine disabled and chairs removed. Poker and table games will be available at the West Valley and Tucson locations, seating reduced to enable safe distances. Bingo will only be available at the West Valley facility, with reduced seating.
- Dining Precautions – Select dining venues and bars will be open at the Tucson, Sahuarita, and West Valley locations with social distancing measures in place.
- Continuous Cleaning — High contact surfaces including gaming devices, chairs, and tables will be continuously cleaned throughout the day by special clean teams. To allow for nightly comprehensive cleaning, all properties will shut down for several hours each night.
- Air Flow Maximization – HVAC systems will be frequently cleaned and the air flow into the facilities has been expanded.
All team members have received additional training in safety and sanitation protocols. In addition to masks, team members will wear gloves when working with high-contact surfaces or materials. The same increased cleaning, hygiene, and social distancing measures in the public areas have also been implemented back of house.
Rudy Prieto, CEO of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said “We’ve used the closure time to thoroughly clean and prepare our facilities to welcome back our guests on June 5. These extraordinary precautions have been undertaken to provide everyone a safe, friendly environment to return to for fun and excitement.”
Following the 1:00 p.m. reopening on June 5, new operating hours for the Tucson, Sahuarita, and Glendale locations will be 10:00 a.m. – midnight, Sundays through Thursdays, and 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m., Fridays and Saturdays. The Why (Ajo) location convenience store hours will be 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and casino hours will be 2:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. each day. The Tucson location hotel, as well as all concert venues and meeting spaces, will remain closed during this first phase.
Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, with three locations in Southern Arizona (Tucson, Sahuarita, and Why) and one in the West Valley in Glendale, AZ, is owned and operated by the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, an enterprise of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Additional information can be found at www.ddcaz.com or by calling 866-DDC-WINS. Follow Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment on Twitter (@DiamondCasinos), Facebook (@DDCAZ), and Instagram (@DiamondCasinos).