Addabbo and Pheffer Amato get tour of Resorts World Casino ahead of reopening

On the morning of Thursday, September 3, State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato toured the Resorts World NYC facility, to review the new health and safety measures the casino put in place, just before Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that casinos will be allowed to open starting September 9th.

During the guided tour, Michelle Stoddart, the VP of Community Relations at Resorts World, and other Resorts World leaders showed the legislators all of the new procedures and protocols in their 21-point safety plan that will keep their staff and guests safe once they reopen to the public.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support and guidance we have received from State Senator Joe Addabbo and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato, as well as other local and state leaders, as we prepare to reopen with additional safety protocols in place,” said Bob DeSalvio, President of Genting Americas East.

When it comes to the staff, all Resorts World team members will receive training on COVID-19 safety and sanitation protocols. They will all have to wear masks and will go through thermal screenings to ensure no one has a temperature of 100.4 or higher. Staffers will also be required to fill out a daily health screening each day prior to entering the property.

Throughout the facility, Resorts World has upgraded all air HVAC filters to MERV 15, the hospital inpatient care standard, to ensure that all airborne contaminants are contained and filtered out of the building. There will be “healthy messaging” in the form of digital traffic signage in all parts of the building, reminding guests to wear a mask, wash their hands and maintain social distancing.

When guests enter, they will be required to pass through a thermal screening. Any guest that posts a temperature above 100.4 degrees will be asked to step aside for a cool down period and will have their temperature taken again the confirm the results. If the individual still posts a high temperature, they will be asked to leave.

Density counters have been installed to monitor how many people enter and exit the casino, so that Resorts World can adhere to required capacity guidelines.

“I appreciate all of the changes Resorts World has made to their facility to protect their staff and guests in preparation of their reopening,” Addabbo, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, said. “This is a big day for the casino, and I fully believe they will be able to face all the challenges ahead and keep their staff and customers safe as they begin to reopen. We look forward to the day when they can be at full capacity and offer all of their amazing amenities again.”

On the casino floor, there will be limited capacity, with the slot machines being separated by panels or turned off and marked with a “time out” message to allow for social distancing. There will also be floor markers to queue guests 6 feet apart. The casino is also in the process of developing a mobile app for digital player cards to replace the traditional plastic cards.

“I am very impressed by the lengths Resorts World went to make sure their future gamers and employees are entering a completely safe gaming environment,” Pheffer Amato said. “From innovative air filtration systems, to contactless thermal temperature readers and new cleaning protocols - they have truly gone above and beyond. I want to thank the entire Resorts World New York team for their tireless effort, and I can’t wait to visit after September 9th.”

Also on the floor, and throughout the property, there will be more than 200 hand-sanitizing stations equipped with hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes to allow guests to clean their hands and any machines they wish. The RW Clean Team will be deployed regularly to high-touch guest and team member areas for cleaning and disinfecting.

“The gaming industry in New York is an integral part of our state’s economic stability, educational funding and employment opportunities,” Addabbo concluded. “To carefully and credibly reopen our gaming sites throughout the state is a step in the right direction as we seek to safely break away from the constraints of the Coronavirus.”