Lummi Nation’s Silver Reef Casino Resort to reopen to the public Friday in Ferndale
The Silver Reef Casino Resort will begin to reopen Thursday, May 21, with a “soft opening” for Lummi Nation members, according to a casino news release. The casino will open to the general public on Friday, May 22.
The casino, at 4876 Haxton Way near Ferndale, closed March 17 to help contain the new coronavirus pandemic.
“The closure of Silver Reef Casino Resort has come at a tremendous price for our employees that we had to furlough.” Marty Sauvage, casino CEO, said in a news release Thursday evening.
“We have worked closely with our Lummi Public Health Team and taken every available precaution to minimize the risk,” Lawrence Solomon, chairman of the Lummi Indian Business Council, said about the reopening in the news release.
“We will be conducting daily temperature tests, providing masks, enhancing sanitization measures, and implementing other safety measures to protect our staff and patrons,” Sauvage said.
The casino has removed chairs and taken machines out of service to cut gaming positions by half and moved machines to increase social distancing. The buffet will not be open.
Plans are for the hotel to open in early June, Sauvage said, and the spa and pool will open at a later date.
The Lummi Public Health Team reported to The Bellingham Herald that as of Tuesday, May 19, 42 Lummi community members have tested positive for COVID-19 — all of which have since recovered. No Lummi community members who have tested positive have died.
Early on in the pandemic, Whatcom County Health Department officials said people who were at the Silver Reef Casino Buffet on March 10 may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus if they were close enough to someone who had tested positive for the illness and was there during lunchtime.
Protective measures
To enter the casino, guest must have valid identification and a phone number and will be required to stay in their car until time to enter the building.
Temperature checks will be required of all guests and masks will be provided if guests don’t have their own.
Social distancing of six feet from other groups when walking, standing in line or riding elevators will be required. Plexiglass shields have been placed to create barriers to protect guests and employees, according to the news release.
Hand sanitizer dispensers and touchless devices have also been added.
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 6:32 PM.
