Casinos in New Jersey that have been shut down since mid-March amidst the coronavirus pandemic may reopen as soon as July 4th, according to Governor Phil Murphy. The governor spoke on Sunday with WOND-AM 1400 and commented on tentative plans to reopen.
Potential for Reopening:
The governor was on the AC Mike Show on Sunday with Mike Lopez when he was asked about the casinos reopening. He said that it is too early to give specifics but there is work going into the effort right now. The state is trying to be ready to open once again and according to Mu 7BALL CX rphy, it could be before the 4th of July or at least by the 4th.
The state has been on lockdown since March, with restrictions partially loosened last month. Many lawmakers feel the state is moving too slow when it comes to reopening the casinos. Hundreds of millions of dollars are gone due to the casinos being shut down for so long.
Tens of thousands of people are without work and the economy of Atlantic City is teetering. The city relies on the income of the casinos to function and many are hoping we don’t see a repeat from a few years ago when several casinos shut down permanently.
According to njbiz.com…
The governor told Mike that a lot of time is being spent with the owners and operators of the casinos as well as the employees and their representatives. With casinos, dealing with the virus has been difficult. The venues are indoors with no ventilation and players are in close proximity with each other. The goal is to take successful steps to address the challenges, according to the governor.
What’s to Come?
It is expected that Governor Murphy will announce guidelines in the coming days for non-essential retail as well as outdoor dining. The state has reportedly flattened the curve of the virus and is closer to State Two of the reopening plan. Casinos have been part of Stage Three since the plan was first released.
