Watersmeet Casino Closing

Elsewhere in the Upper Peninsulathe five Kewadin Casinos run by the Sault Tribe of Chippewa remain closed until June 1 st. The same for the Bay Mills Resort and Casino in Brimley. The Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet has re-opened its golf course, but the casino remains closed until further notice. A second Michigan casino will reopen Friday morning in the Upper Peninsula. Tuesday’s announcement by Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet came one day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced plans to reopen much of Northern Michigan this weekend.

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!”

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.

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 And Resort

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.

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.

Online gambling is expected to launch in Michigan later this year.

Let the gaming resume.

After being closed for more than a month, one Upper Peninsula tribal casino will open Wednesday.

The announcement by Island Resort and Casino in Harris came Friday, one day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the stay-at-home order in Michigan through May 28.

Tribal casinos are not under Whitmer’s jurisdiction because they are on reservation land.

Island Resort and Casino, which is operated by the Hannahville Indian Community, has been closed since March 21 and will have been closed for more than six weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The facility will be the first of the 26 Michigan casinos to reopen since they all closed in March because of the pandemic.

Watersmeet Casino Closed

Phased-in approach for reopening casino

As first reported by MLive, Island Resort and Casino made the announcement on its website and on Facebook.

There will be a phased-in approach to the opening, with slot machines, select to-go food service, bars, bingo and retail available on Wednesday.

On May 8, golf courses Sage Run and Sweetgrass will open. The hotel will open on May 13.

According to the announcement, table games and poker will be added later, along with the spa, pool and fitness center at the facility.

Extra precautions will be taken

Upon arrival, guests will be given a temperature check with an infrared thermometer. A customer with a reading over 100.0degrees will not be admitted.

Masks are encouraged but not required and plexiglass barriers have been placed in the casino to separate guests, the announcement said.

All areas will be sanitized consistently in employee and guest areas and the amount of hand sanitizer dispensers has been increased.

Six feet of social distancing is recommended, and the announcement also asks guests who are not feeling well or are vulnerable to illness to stay home.

There will be no luggage service, valets or shuttles, among other precautions. On the golf course, carts are allowed but rangers will rake the sand traps for you.

COVID-19 cases decreasing in Michigan

Watersmeet Casino Closing Casinos

Michigan has been one of the hardest-hit states from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reported total death toll was nearing 3,900 on Friday with more than 42,000 positive cases reported.

The 3,866 deaths are the third-most for a state, but Friday’s 977 reported cases was the lowest daily increase since Monday.

Island Resort and Casino is in Menominee County, which has reported five COVID-19 cases and zero deaths as of Friday, according to the state’s website.

No other casinos have announced openings

Island Resort and Casino is one of 23 tribal casinos in Michigan, which serve as important economic engines for the 12 federally recognized tribes.

Eleven of the state’s tribal casinos are in the U.P. The five Kewadin Casino locations are closed through May 15, while others have not announced firm dates.

Lac Vieux Desert Golf Course, which is operated by the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribe, reopened on Friday, but its Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet near the Wisconsin border is still closed.