Encore Boston Poker Room Reopening

The reopening of Encore Boston Harbor on June 12 is a very different one than the opening just over a year ago on June 23. Poker, roulette and craps are not available but Brian Gullbrants, Encore. Hey guys, today we review Encore's poker room through the first few weeks after its grand opening - we go over some of the things you MUST know before going!.

A Message From Mohegan Leadership

First, we hope that you and your families are safe and well. The past few months have presented each of us with hardships that seemed unfathomable just a short time ago. But these hardships have also presented us with an opportunity to come together as one community. It has also made us appreciate life’s simple moments. While no one knows how long it will take for things to get back to ‘normal,’ we are here, prepared and ready to welcome you back.

Our team has tirelessly been working around the clock to develop and implement first-in-class standards and safety measures consistent with or exceeding guidelines by state and federal officials. These measures, which you will find below, have been endorsed by our Chief Medical Director and Tribal Health Department. We will continue to moderate and make changes as necessary to our procedures based off their guidance to ensure the highest level of safety for our guests and team members. This guidance and level of standards will be implemented at all seven resort destinations in North America operated and managed by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, some of which have already begun to reopen.

As we ramp up our next phase of reopening, which includes various openings of our dining, hotel, retail and other popular venues, we will continue to ensure we are responsible and appropriate with our approach. While we understand that the continued closure of some of these experiences may be inconvenient, we look forward to reopening them when the time is right. Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of all guests visiting Mohegan Sun as well as the health of all our passionate and dedicated team members.

We are thankful for our 6,500 team members, who are an extension of our Mohegan family, for their tireless efforts today and every day. We appreciate your continued loyalty and look forward to welcoming you back soon.

From the Mohegan Tribe, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment and Mohegan Sun family, muykuhkukw qa wuyámukw (Be strong and be well).​

See How Mohegan Sun Is Keeping You Safe

By Working Together, We Win Together

Do Your Part, Stay 6 Feet Apart

Maintain a safe distance of 6 feet or more from others as much as possible.

Look for signs on the floor in places where lines may form to ensure distancing

4 Aboard – To practice safe social distancing, please limit elevator passengers to 4 at a time

Plexiglass has been added to transactional locations

Every other slot machine will be available for play and seating at table games will be arranged to allow for safe distances between players

Have Good, Clean Fun

Wash your hands often

Swipe a wipe - For your safety, please sanitize your hands and wipe down your machine or table and chair before you play

Hand sanitizing stations have been added throughout the property and are available on each table game

Know Before You Go Temperature Check

A simple, non-invasive temperature check will be performed on all guests and team members as they enter the property, and protocols are in place to monitor symptoms.

• Any person with a temperature reading higher than 99.9 degrees will be re-tested to confirm
• If the reading is still high, guests will be asked to return when they feel healthy and will be reminded to follow up with their health care provider

Be Social, Be Safe

It is mandatory for guests and employees to wear masks unless eating or drinking. If you do not have a mask, security will provide one to you.

At this time, smoking will not be permitted indoors anywhere. Please use designated smoking areas outside.

Relax & Recharge

Open restaurants and bars will reduce seating to allow for physical distancing during dining and only patio or atrium seating will be provided

There will not be any self-serve or drink stations

Seasons Buffet will be closed

Safe In Your Room

Turn down service will not be offered at this time

Housekeeping will be limited on multiple night stays

The Sky Tower Pool and fitness centers are now open with limited & monitored capacity, masks must be worn unless proper social distancing is maintained, jacuzzis remain closed.

Drive-Thru Testing Site Located at Thames Garage
Hours of Operation: Available daily from 7:30am - 5:00pm until further notice
Scheduling: Appointments are required and can be made by a physician placing an order or by utilizing our website. Answer a few questions and select an appointment time under MOHEGAN SUN THAMES GARAGE TESTING SITE
The website automatically generates an order

Who Can Get Tested?: Asymptomatic and symptomatic, all ages. If a child is under the age of 18, a parent or guardian must be present at the testing with him/her. All adults over 18 must bring a photo ID. Face masks are required. Unlimited tests per vehicle.
Billing: Insurance will be billed but we are not balance billing at this time (no cost to the patient)
Test Result Turnaround Time: Results may be available in as little as 48 hours
Test type: PCR (Swab)

Boston Poker Tournaments

THE PARTIES ARE ON HOLD BUT THE FUN ISN’T

For the safety of our guests and team members, we’re doing New Year’s Eve differently this year. Though we will not be hosting our usual New Year’s Eve events, we invite you to celebrate with us throughout the holiday season. Book a safe and relaxing stay at one of our two hotel towers, dine at your favorite restaurants, browse our shops and enjoy the thrills that await you at our slot machines and table games.

Due to restricted capacities, we advise all of our guests to book their experience in advance.

What's Open?

Casino of the Sky & Casino of the Earth
Comix Roadhouse & Comedy Club
Kids Quest & Cyber Quest
Mandara Spa
Mohegan Sun Golf Club
Race Book
Sachem Lounge
Sky Hotel & Earth Tower
Sky Tower Pool

Encore Boston Poker Room Reopening Rules

A wider range of dining and retail offerings will be opening for dine-in and take out as well as expanding hours and services! Reservations are encouraged.

What's Closed...For Now?

Box Office
Line Run and Charter Buses
Mohegan Sun Arena
Poker Room
Earth Tower Pool
Seasons Buffet
Valet Parking
Wolf Den

Both hotels are open for reservations and are adding more rooms. Reservations are open to all guests and no longer limited to local states. Some changes have been implemented to promote social distancing. Valet parking will not be available but you can still pull up to the hotel, place your luggage on a cart, and self-park your car. The Sky Tower Pool and fitness centers are now open with limited & monitored capacity. The Earth Tower pool will remain closed until further notice. Masks must be worn when entering and exiting the pool area, but may be removed unless proper social distancing cannot be maintained. The Jacuzzi will remain closed until further notice due to its small size and the inability to properly social distance. We will not be offering turndown service and housekeeping will be limited during multiple night stays. All rooms will be cleaned and disinfected according to CDC guidelines including using sanitization fogging after each stay between guests so you can settle in as soon as you arrive. Room service will be available but will be placed outside your room for you to pick up.
FOR MORE INFORMATION

Casino of the Sky and Casino of the Earth are open with safety measures in place. Slot machines and chairs at tables will be limited to encourage distancing between guests. Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer are located throughout the property for your use to wipe down machines or tables before you play. Playing cards, dice and high touch points will be cleaned and sterilized frequently. At this time, the Poker room will remain closed.

To uphold the highest safety standards for our guests and team members, our open restaurants and bars will maintain compliance with Connecticut State guidelines. Open restaurants and bars will reduce seating to allow for physical distancing during dining, reservations are encouraged. There will not be any self-serve or drink stations. Menus, check presenters and other high touch points will be disinfected after each use. Dining rooms will have last calls for in-restaurant food service no later than 9:30pm. Please check individual dining and bar pages to stay up to date on specific changes during this time.

Encore Boston Poker Room Reopening Ideas

At this time, no smoking will be permitted indoors. Please use designated smoking areas outside and maintain physical distance from other guests.

Sachem Lounge has reopened for our Soar guests with new safety guidelines. The following rules are now in effect:

• Seating is at 50% of normal capacity as we have removed half of the tables and chairs from the lounge
• Soar access only until further notice
• Limit of 4 people total (cardholder +3) at all times
• Due to limited seating, we will have a 1 hour time limit during busy times
• All guests must have a seat as we cannot allow extra guests to be standing
• Sachem Lounge is re-opening as a non-smoking area
• Masks should be worn by all guests when not eating/drinking

ASPIRE CHECK-IN

At this time Aspire and Thirty Three are not open. In an effort to maintain the safety of our guests through social distancing and utilize our spaces wisely, Soar members and above can check-in at the Aspire Desk.

Beginning on October 9th at 9:00am VIP's & Soar members and above can check-in at the Aspire check-in area. The check-in area will be open from:

• Sunday - Thursday: 9:00am - 10:00pm
• Friday & Saturday: 9:00am - Midnight

No Aspire amenities will be available such as private concierge, valet and bell service. If a guest would like to drop off their luggage, they will be asked to pull up to the main Hotel lobby and self-park. A Bellman will be there to assist any Guest who requires assistance.

Encore Boston Poker Room Reopening Date

No food will be offered to any guest at check-in. Only sealed beverages such as bottled water and soft drinks will be available.

​© Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican/masslive.com/TNS 6/10/2020 - MGM Springfield casino in downtown Springfield.

Massachusetts’ three casinos — MGM Springfield, Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park — are working to reopen with Encore using June 29 as its target with the understanding that the date could change.

Each operator also told state regulators Thursday that they’ll need at least two weeks to reconfigure the gambling floor to spread out slot machines and ensure gamblers at table games are far enough away from each other to insure social distancing. Employees will also have to be brought back and retrained.

MGM Springfield stayed away from a specific target date, only saying it is working to welcome its guests.

And, as Massachusetts Gaming Commission Interim Executive Director Karen Wells said Thursday, two weeks from June 29 is just a few days from now, Monday June 15, giving the casinos just a few days to find out the specifics of how their operations will have to change in the COVID-19 environment. And Massachusetts Gaming Commissioners worked toward a reopening plan, but didn’t finalize it Thursday.

The commission’s focus is on social distancing, health, hygiene, safety and reporting measures for each casino.

The three casinos have been closed since March 15 with most employees furloughed.

Meanwhile casinos are opening up all over the country. In neighboring Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe reopened Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun at the beginning of this month. Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode island is open by invitation only.Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, New York, is still closed.

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission said Thursday it needs more guidance from the state about the need for six-foot distancing between slot machines and if that’s dependent on on other barriers being in place or if that distance can be lessened of other barriers are not in place.

Commissioners reached a consensus on requiring Plexiglas barriers for blackjack and for similar games, but stopped short of requiring the shields for poker, craps and roulette because the shields — common in groceries and retail locations — might prove too cumbersome to use effectively.

There was also much discussion of mask requirements and if hand sanitizer should be mandatory or just available. Commissioners discussed the dangers of handling cards and passing them back and fort.. What about chips handled and lost by one gambler getting paid out as winnings to the next gambler almost immediately?

“What we are trying to do is to layer as many provisions as are feasible in order to minimize the overall risk,” said commissioner Enrique Zuniga. “We are not going to bring down the risk to zero. Let’s face it. That’s true for every other industry. What we are left with is the workability of each precaution.”

Brian Gullbrants, president of Encore Boston Harbor, said said Encore’s already started making prepartions with plans to install barriers on all regular blackjack games but not on other games and not on the casino 's high roller games.

MGM Springfield executives said they’d planned to install Plexiglas at some, but no all games so it would be the patron’s choice whether to play with or without a barrier.

Even under the most strict rules under consideration by the commission, slot gaming positions at MGM Springfield would be reduced to 589 out of 1,768 before the restrictions. That would allow for two disabled machines between each operating machine.

Allowing for only one disable machine, MGM Springfield would have room for 884 slot players out of 1,768.

Slot capacity at Encore goes to 935 out of 2,804 with two disabled machines between each operating machine. It’s 1,402 out of 2,804 at Encore every other machine to be disabled.

Slot gaming positions at Plainridge are calculated at approx. 440 out of 1,320 allowing for two disabled machines between each operating machine. A six foot minimum distancing between slot machines allows for a total of approx. 385 slot positions. There is room for 660 out of 1,320, operating machines with which every other machine to be disabled, according to the gaming commission.

The commission is considering reducing the number of roulette players at MGM Springfield to 24 if there are three players maximum per roulette table but there could be as few as nine roulette players if there are just three allowed per row in order to keep them distanced.

There was also discussion about how how best to pay off winners. Should cash be counted into the hand? On to a table or surface?

Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Timothy Sheehan, the city;'s chief development officer, said they’ve been kept up to date on MGM Springfield’s reopening plans.

Sheehan said MGM Springfield is working with an epidemiologists, making sure its precautions mesh with the latest science .

Encore Boston Poker Room Reopening Today

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Encore Boston Poker Room Reopening Today

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