Augustine Casino to reopen June 15, minus table games
Three months after Augustine Casino became the first casino in the Coachella Valley to voluntarily close to help combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, the property announced its reopening plans.
The casino near Coachella will reopen at 9 a.m. Monday June 15, officials announced on Friday, June 12, making it the final tribal-owned property in Riverside County to reopen.
But when it reopens, guests looking to gamble won’t be able to say “hit me” — all table games have been removed from the property and replaced with slots, something casino officials had planned in order to promote social distancing.
The casino has also shortened its operating hours, which will be 8 a.m.-midnight, although the official reopening announcement noted those could change.
Augustine closed on March 15 and remained shuttered as other tribal casinos began to reopen in recent weeks.
“We don’t want to rush into anything. We feel like we have a good plan, but we want to make sure it’s safe enough to open,” Jef Bauer, general manager for Augustine, said in a recent interview with the Southern California News Group.
Guests will be required to have their temperature checked before entering and must wear a face covering that covers their nose and mouth while inside the casino.
Smoking is not allowed inside the casino and while the casino will have food options available, eating is not permitted on the slot floor. The casino is also encouraging social distancing with floor markers where lines form.
Augustine has more information about the reopening and precautions posted at its website at augustinecasino.com.