Because of a nearly $350 million budget shortage, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan suspended anti-blight programs across the city, and delivered the grim news that entertainment — including Detroit’s cash cow casinos — may not fully reopen for months.
“It costs us $600,000 a day, I haven’t complained about it a single time because the health of our community is more important than the revenue coming in,” the mayor said at a news conference Wednesday.
Meanwhile, at least one tribal casino in the Upper Peninsula will begin a phased reopening starting May 16, as it’s not subject to governmental orders to stay closed. Island Resort and Casino earlier said it would be open May 6, but later announced that “due to unforeseen circumstances” it was pushing the reopening 10 days. The casino did not give a reason for the delay.
In Detroit, Duggan said casinos have been working with the city’s chief medical advisor on what it would take to reopen the casinos, while watching what Las Vegas is doing. He said discussions involve safety protocols, like guests and employees wearing masks, having only a fraction of slot machines operating and restricting how many people can sit at a game table. – READ MORE
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