ARLINGTON, Wash. — Angel of The Winds Casino Resort is getting ready for a very high stakes move. The casino near Arlington plans to reopen May 13 at 3 p.m.
The rooms will be filled with hundreds of people, even as other entertainment venues remain closed under Gov. Jay Inslee's “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order. That's because, as a sovereign nation, the Stillaguamish Tribe is not subject to Washington state laws.
"The tribe has made the decision, based on their own sovereignty, to say we want to get back to normal," said casino General Manager Travis O'Neil.
"Normal" will look very different at Angel of The Winds Casino Resort when it opens.
The casino will only operate at about 50% capacity. Guests will have their temperatures checked before they enter and will wear masks when inside. For now, only baccarat and slot machines will be open. There will be no sitting at the bar and no smoking. Plexiglas will separate people at cash and food stations, and patrons will be expected to practice social distancing measures such as staying six feet away from each other.
But even with all those protections in place, Gov. Jay Inslee, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers, and health officials all pleaded with the casino to stay closed.
"We're opening now because we believe it's time," explained O'Neil. "We have enough safety protocols in place that are very similar to other industries that have not shut down."
One of the reasons the Stillaguamish plan to reopen next week is the ability to give huge sums of money to local charities.
The tribe donated a total of $600,000 Thursday to the struggling Arlington and Stanwood-Camano food banks. Another reason is the 600 casino employees who have been out of work for nearly two months.
O'Neil said the casino is going "all-in" on opening up.
"If people are concerned with that, or they do not like the decision, I encourage them to stay away at this point,” said O'Neil.