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- Braving a cold drizzle last week, hundreds placed their bet, lining up for hours in front of the Viejas Casino and Resort, a glass-and-stone Indian casino east of San Diego that was reopening.
- The Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine Saturday announced plans to reopen on May 18. Support Times of San Diego's growth with a small monthly contribution. Most Popular Today.
- The Viejas Casino & Resort reopened its doors Monday morning to the public despite concerns from San Diego County and state health officials. 1 weather alerts 1 closings/delays 1 weather alerts 1.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
By Amita Sharma
Credit: Jasmine Goddard
Above: Tony Wolf quit his security guard job at Viejas Casino & Resort early Friday because he's worried there will be a coronavirus outbreak when the casino reopens next week, May 15, 2020.
As some San Diego County casinos prepare to reopen next week, concerns remain over whether it’s safe to return.
Tony Wolf, 33, quit his job as a security guard at Viejas Casino & Resort early Friday because he said he’s worried that he’ll catch COVID-19 when the casino reopens Monday.
“For basically my health and for my family's health, I just had to resign,” said Wolf, who lives with his grandmother, fiancée and her two young children. “It sucks. I really liked working there. I don’t feel they are going to have everything up in place that’s necessary.”
Viejas is one of the larger area casinos planning to resume business next week. Valley View Casino & Hotel and Sycuan Casino Resort are also slated to open to guests.
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The reopening announcements were initially greeted with consternation this week by county public health officials who sought help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to potentially block the move.
But officials backed away, conceding the Native American tribes could do what they wanted. The tribes aren’t subject to state or county laws because they are sovereign nations.
And the tribes maintain they are taking necessary steps to safeguard workers and guests at their casinos.
“Public health and safety has always been and continues to be our number one priority,” said Adam Day, chief administrative officer for the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay. “We look forward to working cooperatively with all levels of government as we have the last 36 years — federal, state and county. And we are highly confident in our carefully designed robust health and safety plan to slowly reopen our facility in phases.”
Viejas, scheduled to reopen Monday, said on its website the safety of workers and guests is of “paramount” importance. Viejas said it’s using ultraviolet light to disinfect the casino. It will also require its employees and guests to wear masks, socially distance, and they will be subject to scans for symptoms at the entrance.
But Wolf is skeptical of their plans, which include disabling every other gambling machine to socially distance.
“They’re going to be taking their masks off to drink, to smoke, to eat,” Wolf said. “I don’t see it. Every other machine? That’s what they’re gonna do. That’s not six feet.”
Viejas did not respond to KPBS following multiple requests for comment.
Wolf said he’s worried Viejas will see a coronavirus outbreak.
“Right now, the majority of the people that go to the casino are elderly people and people who aren’t even in the best of health, even younger people,” he said. “It is all a gamble. They’re gambling with their guests' lives, with their employees’ lives.”
Aired 5/18/20 on KPBS News
Listen to this story by Amita Sharma.
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Viejas Casino And Resort Buffet
Amita Sharma
Investigative Reporter
As an investigative reporter for KPBS, I've helped expose political scandals and dug into intractable issues like sex trafficking. I've raised tough questions about how government treats foster kids. I've spotlighted the problem of pollution in poor neighborhoods. And I've chronicled corporate mistakes and how the public sometimes ends up paying for them.
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