CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH TONY MANCILLA

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The Island Resort and Casino is ready to re-open its doors.

Casino General Manager Tony Mancilla announced on Friday that they’ll start to re-open on Wednesday, May 6 at 8:00 am Eastern Time.

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1. One of Michigan's tribal casinos is opening up this week. According to MLive.com, the Island Resort and Casino, in Harris, MI (west of Escanaba on U.S. 2) is starting a phased re-opening starting Wednesday May 6th. The slot machines, to-go food service, some bars, bingo and retail open on Wednesday. On Friday, May 8, the golf courses open. And the hotel will reopen on Wednesday, May 13.
2. The Island Resort and Casino is ready to re-open its doors. Casino General Manager Tony Mancilla announced on Friday that they’ll start to re-open on Wednesday, May 6 at 8:00 am Eastern Time. “We’ve been open continuously since December 20th, 1985,” Mancilla told the Radio Results Network Friday morning.

“We’ve been open continuously since December 20th, 1985,” Mancilla told the Radio Results Network Friday morning. “The past six weeks have been long. We’ve been trying to keep the building maintained, working on the equipment. But it’s time to re-open.”

The governor extended her orders to keep most businesses closed until May 28, including casinos. But those are state-regulated casinos, and Mancilla says it does not apply to his, which is owned by the Hannahville Indian Community. He says they closed on March 21st voluntarily, not because the governor told them to.

“We use her orders as guidelines,” Mancilla said. “We’re going to be re-opening on May 6th, and May 8th we’re going to be opening up our golf courses, and on May 13th, we’ll open up our hotel. There’s a lot of guidance out there from the state on keeping things clean and operating as a restaurant, for example. We’ve been taking those into consideration, but the brass tacks is she doesn’t have jurisdiction over Indian Country. We make our own decision.”

Mancilla says they are counting on their customers to be smart when it comes to social distancing guidelines.

“Once people are on the floor, it’s their own responsibility,” Mancilla said. “If they’re in the bar, and they want to stand next to somebody, we’re not going to make them stand apart. They probably came in the same car, or their best friend’s, you don’t know, maybe they’re married. So, they’re going to have to be responsible for themselves. It’s like when you get on a bus, and there’s an empty seat, what’s the first thing you do? You say ‘can I sit in this seat’? It’s just proper manners. The people who are here are going to want to be here.”

Mancillia says they are taking some precautions to help keep people safe, including thorough cleaning of the facility.

“We’ll be taking their temperature at the door,” he said. “We’ll post some guidelines on our web site and let them know what we’re doing for our employees. We’ll have the plexiglass guards. We’ll offer customers a mask, if they want one. We’ll have the lines that distance people out. And once you’re on the slot floor, we’ve taken chairs and spaced them out.”

He says the food service will be served in a way where you can sit down and eat, you just won’t have silverware and porcelain plates. You’ll get to-go containers. and you can sit down and eat there.

As for the golf courses, Mancilla says tee times will be spread out every 15 minutes rather than every ten minutes, and the cups will be set up so you don’t have to reach in to get the ball. Every group of carts will have their own rakes.

“If a customer doesn’t want to sit with a customer in a cart, then they can opt to have their own cart,” Mancilla said. “Once again, most people coming for a golf trip are riding in the car together to get here. They’re going to get into the cart together, they’re going to ride around and that’s fine.”

Management of the casino has worked with the Nevada and National Indian Gaming Commission standards and procedures to safeguard its customers and employees. The Casino was closed on March 21, 2020 and will have been closed for seven weeks. The reopening of the Island Resort will take place in the following phases:

1. Slot floor, Bingo, and Food and Beverage on May 6.
2. Golf Courses on May 8.
3. Hotel on May 13.
4. Spa, Convention Center, Table Games, and the Showroom to be determined at a later date.

Mancilla says hat “all industry precautions are being taken at this time. The facility will be cleaned and sanitized on a continual basis. Food and beverage will be served in to-go containers and customers will be offered their own golf cart if requested. Customers and employees will be temperature checked at the facility doors.”

Is The Island Casino In Escanaba Michigan Open 2020

“Per CDC guidelines any person with temperature over 100 degrees will not be permitted in the facility. There will be hand sanitizers throughout the Casino and masks upon request.”

Is The Island Casino In Escanaba Michigan Open 2020

The Island Resort Management is taking all precautions for its employees and asks that the customers review the guidelines on the website prior to coming next week. We ask the customers to be mindful of others while they enjoy their experience at the Island Resort. (islandresortandcasino.com)