Casinos To Start 24 Hours Operations Soon
While lots of casinos are opening their doors to players in recent months, the turnout has not been that great. The likes of Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield, and Plainridge casinos, are still finding it difficult to attract significant numbers even to reach the state’s capacity limit.
However, insiders are hopeful for a new turnaround. Bruce Band, the assistant director to the MGC, said he is looking forward to more players as the state’s casinos commence 24-hour-a-day operation.
He said gambling peak hours are usually between 9 p.m. and midnight.
“I think you’ll see the numbers up quite a bit,” he said last month, “Especially during the weekend.”
Plainridge, MGM Springfield, and Encore have had 18%, 17%, and 18.5% occupancy rates in the last few weeks, respectively.
MGM Springfield is returning to a 24-hour operation soon, while Encore and Plainridge have already returned to a 24-hour operation.
Governor Charlie Baker placed a 9:30 p.m curfew for businesses in 2020. However, since the start of the year, the restriction has been lifted.
Good News
There is some good news. In the past few weeks, some casinos are recalling furloughed staff. Encore casino has recalled more than 500 staff. Plainridge and MGM Springfield have also recalled an undisclosed number of staff.
In the last few months, Encore has furloughed close to a thousand employees. In November, MGM Springfield laid off an extra 300 staff.
Along with its casino, Encore will be opening its spa, restaurant, and other event centers. Meanwhile, MGM will open its food court but won’t open its restaurants.
There is also a statewide ban on foods across the gaming floor. There is also a floor ban on drinks. Players have to be seated to receive drinks.
There are various safety plans in place at multiple casinos. MGM Springfield has a 7 point safety plan which includes employee health checks, social distancing practices, and more.
