Casino del Sol is shutting down temporarily, following the closure of other casinos around the country.
Up until Tuesday, when Casino del Sol made its announcement, operators of Tucson-area casinos were taking extra precautions, such as using hospital-grade sanitizers, postponing some shows and closing down buffets.
“The Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Casino Del Sol have made the decision to temporarily close both Casino Del Sol and Casino of the Sun beginning Wednesday, March 18, at 5 p.m., through Monday, April 13, at 8 a.m.,” CEO Kimberly Van Amburg said in a statement.
This closure includes Casino Del Sol, Casino of the Sun, both resorts, AVA Amphitheater and Sewailo Golf Club.
She said employees will be compensated without needing to use paid time off.
“We are taking these steps because our priority is our community — our team members, our guests, and the wider community of Tucson and the entire state of Arizona,” Van Amburg said. “We believe a temporary closure is the right thing to do in order to help reduce the impact of the virus in our community.”
Desert Diamond Casinos have not announced plans to close but have placed hand sanitizer stations in high-traffic areas, along with stepped-up cleaning procedures and are monitoring CDC recommendations.
“Our top priority is the well-being of our guests and team members,” Treena Parvello, a spokeswomen for the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said in a statement. “We are taking preventative measures to combat the potential impacts of the coronavirus at all of our locations .”
Several casinos around the country closed their doors this week, including ones in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and Louisiana.
