Seminoles Shut Down Hard Rock, Other Florida Tribal Casinos Indefinitely Due to COVID-19
The Seminole Tribe of Florida announced on Friday it would close its casinos in the Sunshine State to help control the spread of the coronavirus. The shutdown of its gaming venues took place at 6 p.m. ET.
The Hard Rock Casino in Tampa is one of six Seminole Tribe of Florida casinos to close indefinitely on Friday because of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Seminoles, which owns Hard Rock International, operate six casinos in Florida. That includes Hard Rock gaming facilities in Tampa and Hollywood.
"We will reopen as soon as it is appropriate and safe to do so,” the tribe said in a statement posted on all six casino web sites. “All hotel reservations during the closure period will be cancelled automatically. Hotel guests will be contacted directly to accommodate their current bookings and needs, wherever possible.”
While the tribe’s casinos elsewhere in the US had been shut down because of the COVID-19 outbreak, its venues in the Sunshine State were among the last to close. That was despite other Florida venues, like Calder Casino, closing its doors on Monday. Even the Seminole Tribe’s administrative and other offices closed indefinitely on Monday, citing the public health emergency in the state.
Before the Seminoles announcement on Friday, the American Gaming Association estimated that 95 percent of commercial casinos and 84 percent of the 524 tribal casinos had closed within the past week because of concerns regarding the spread of the coronavirus.
The move comes after one Florida lawmaker pressed for the casinos to close. State Rep. Jackie Toldeo (R-Tampa) said that keeping the casinos open was not a good public health strategy, especially for a state with – according to WorldAtlas.com – the largest percentage of its population consisting of senior citizens. While most who contract COVID-19 feel slight to moderate symptoms, seniors are considered a highly susceptible population for the lethal effects of the virus.
Before the tribe announced it would close the Florida casinos, Toledo went on social media claiming a Hard Rock Tampa employee was told they could not wear masks or gloves. A message to Hard Rock representatives was not immediately returned Friday evening.
