Once New York State’s non-Native casinos got the okay to reopen Wednesday, Roseanne Shafer was one of the first people lined up outside Saratoga Casino Hotel.
What You Need To Know
- After six months closed, Upstate New York's non-native casinos were allowed to reopen Wednesday afternoon
- At Saratoga Casino Hotel, a long line of guests waited outside the entrance before the doors were opened
- New safety protocols include limiting the facility to 25 percent capacity, requiring guests and staff to wear masks, and keeping casino games at least six feet apart
“I’ve been waiting for it to open for a long time. I’ve been going to Turning Stone, and it’s too far,” Shafer said. “I won $1,100 here three years ago, so maybe I’ll get lucky again. Who knows?”
For returning guests like Shafer, who says she’s typically made two monthly trips from her home in South Glens Falls, the new safety protocols greeted them before they walked through the front door.
“At my age, particularly, I’m an old lady, it’s very important to me,” Shafer said. “I’m sure they’ve got everything sanitized and everything is good.”
“I think that goes into the whole experience,” Saratoga Casino Hotel General Manager Alex Tucker said. “If you do not feel safe, you are not going to enjoy your time here, and you are not going to have a good time.”
Tucker says under the new guidelines, the casino is now limited to a single entrance.
“We will have one way in and one way out of the facility, because we are opening at 25 percent capacity,” Tucker said.
Before walking onto a casino floor that features a new air filtration system and socially-distanced games, guests will be required to wear masks at all times and have their temperatures checked.
“We have provided what we think is a very safe environment for both our team members and our guests to enjoy,” Tucker said.
Tucker says only a quarter of the 400 employees who were furloughed after the closing have been brought back.
“It has put quite a burden on our team members and our staff,” Tucker said. “As business demand increases and as some of the restrictions are lifted, our plan is to bring back additional team members as soon as we can.”
As Schafer saddled up to the slot machine for the first time in months, there was nothing but hope.
“It feels good,” Shafer said. “I have a good feeling I’m going to hit today. I know I am.”
It turns out after just a few minutes, her optimism was rewarded.
“I won $70 and played $20,” Shafer said while showing off a winning ticket. “It feels excellent. It’s a good start.”