Detroit Casinos Will Face Difficulties Even After Reopening

By Mike J. Davies Editor in Chief at Casinos.US Updated: 08/19/2020

Mike J. Davies Editor in Chief at Casinos.US See Full Bio

Mike is our Senior Editor and experienced gambling strategist. A former hockey player, he transitioned to the casino industry after finishing his B.A. in English. Blackjack systems, online casino guides, gambling terms, and more – Mike is familiar with all fine points of gambling.

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Detroit Casinos

Like casinos across the rest of the United States, casinos in Detroit have suffered huge financial losses over recent months. This is the result of many months of closure brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic and the subsequent lockdown.

The three commercial casinos in Detroit were given the go-ahead to reopen on August 5th by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. However, the governor also decided to place stringent restrictions on capacity, and this means that the casinos will have to operate at just 15% of their normal capacity.

Huge Loss of Revenue

Detroit’s casinos have been a huge source of revenue for the city because of the taxes that they generate. However, with casinos being closed for more than four months, city revenue has taken a huge hit. This problem is set to continue as a result of casinos only being able to operate at a fraction of their usual capacity.

While restrictions have been placed on capacity for casinos across the country, Detroit appears to have been the worst hit. In some parts of the country, casinos are able to operate at 25% capacity while in others they can operate at 50%. With only a 15% capacity allowed in Detroit, casinos and the city will continue to feel the financial strain.

In a recent Executive Order, the governor stated:

I am taking the occasion, too, to allow for the reopening of the Detroit casinos, subject to a 15% capacity limit and strict workplace safeguards.

The order also stated that casinos had been operating safely across other parts of the United States as well as in tribal areas in Michigan.

As per the Executive Order, it will be essential for casinos in Detroit to have strict measures in place to protect employees and patrons. These include enhancing sanitization and hygiene, social distancing measures, and safety precautions and training for employees.

Casinos Bringing Back Part of the Workforce

After being given the go-ahead to reopen, casinos in Detroit have stated that they will bring back a percentage of the workforce. With such strict limitations in place with regard to capacity and the reopening of certain facilities, it is very unlikely that the casinos will need all workers back at this stage.

According to reports, Greektown Casino plans to bring back around 50% of the workforce, and MotorCity Casino will do the same. MGM Grand Detroit is only bringing back 40% of the workforce for now.

In addition to reduced capacity, casinos in the area will have to ensure that certain facilities remain closed including the food buffets. Slot machines will also not be able to operate, as this would otherwise cause problems with social distancing. For table games, plexiglass screens have to be in place to keep players and employees safe.

While casinos in Detroit are now geared up for reopening, albeit with strict new measures, some people have expressed surprise that they were allowed to reopen at this stage. This is due to the reported increased infection numbers in the area.