Inside A Michigan Casino On The First Day Of Reopening

On Friday, as the clock struck 10 a.m., over 100 individuals eagerly formed a queue outside Odawa Casino Mackinaw. It had been more than two months since the last legitimate wager was made in a casino located in the Lower Peninsula.

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of all 26 statewide casinos in March, this facility became the third Michigan casino to reopen this month.

On Friday, Odawa Casinos General Manager Ron Olson informed Playinmichigan that we had a standing-room-only crowd to some extent when we opened. We had to close the doors and limit the number of people, and we are continuously monitoring the situation.

On Wednesday, Odawa Casinos made an announcement that the Mackinaw City venue is scheduled to open on Friday, while the esteemed Petoskey location will welcome guests starting from May 29th.

The scene in Mackinaw City on Friday exemplified the current situation faced by casinos nationwide: There is a significant desire for gaming, coupled with the need to adapt to a new era of socially distanced gambling.

Casinos starting to open across Michigan, nation

When Odawa Casino Mackinaw opened on Friday, there were already two other Michigan casinos operating in the Upper Peninsula.

Odawa Casino opened an hour after Northern Waters Casino Resort in Watersmeet, and Island Resort and Casino in Harris made its debut on May 16.

On Friday, the Northern Waters and Odawa establishments synchronized their openings with a recent directive from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. This directive permits bars and restaurants in a significant portion of Northern Michigan to operate at a maximum capacity of 50%.

In recent times, tribal leaders and state officials have collaboratively worked together to coordinate the reopening of tribal casinos, even though they are not required to adhere to Whitmer’s orders.

More casino openings coming throughout Michigan

Five Kewadin Casinos locations are set to reopen on June 1 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, leading to an increase in available openings.

Little River Casino Resort in Manistee made an announcement on Thursday confirming their plans to open on June 1.

Whitmer’s Stay Home order, which was initially set to expire on June 12, applies to the three commercial casinos in Detroit. On Friday afternoon, Whitmer declared yet another extension of her order.

According to the American Gaming Association website’s COVID-19 Casino Tracker, a total of 162 casinos were operational nationwide on Friday afternoon, while a staggering 827 casinos remained closed.

Half of Odawa Mackinaw slot machines opened

On Friday, only around 125 slot machines were operational at Odawa Casino Mackinaw due to the implementation of social distancing measures.

During the initial three hours of the casino’s opening, Olson reported that a maximum of 10 individuals were seen waiting outside at any given time, as only 110 people were permitted to enter the premises simultaneously.

Olson observed the crowd and based on phone conversations, it appears that many attendees are from the local vicinity and the southern region of Mackinaw City. However, he noted the absence of individuals from Petoskey.

For a temporary period, smoking will not be allowed inside either of the Odawa facilities. In order to accommodate smokers, the Mackinaw City location has designated a courtyard for their use.

Other safety guidelines in place for Odawa Casinos

The Odawa Casinos property in Petoskey, located approximately 35 miles southwest, has its grand opening set for 10 a.m. on May 29.

“After the initial morning in Mackinaw, Olson expressed satisfaction with everyone’s courteous and respectful behavior thus far.”

Wearing face masks is mandatory for both customers and employees. You can also find masks at the security or Players Club counter in both locations.

Furthermore, personnel are conducting temperature screenings for guests, denying entry to those with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees.

Neither location offers shuttle service or valet, and there is only one entrance available.

Table games present new issues in Petoskey

Next week, Olson announced the exciting news that table games will be available at the flagship location, marking a significant milestone for reopened Michigan casinos.

According to Olson, the allowance will be for a maximum of three players per table. Although there won’t be any plexiglass installed, Olson mentioned that the implementation of enhanced cleaning protocols should provide additional safety measures.

Olson explained that a significant aspect of the process involves establishing efficient cleaning schedules. This includes determining the appropriate time to clean the cards, when to clean the chips, and when to wipe down the tables and chairs. The goal is to create a schedule that everyone will adhere to.

Both the poker room and the craps table in Petoskey will remain closed for a temporary period of time.

Reservations for the Odawa Hotel in Petoskey will commence at 10 a.m. on June 1, and the hotel is set to open its doors on June 11.

Victories remodeled for entertainment, sports bets

The Odawa location in Petoskey took advantage of the shutdown period to renovate the Victories Sports & Entertainment venue, making it suitable for hosting live entertainment and sports betting activities.

The center of the circular area has been designated for entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, with a separate space allocated for the retail sports betting cashiers.

Olson mentioned that the retail sports betting operation will carry the branding of either Victories or Odawa.

Olson stated on Friday that we had hoped to engage in sports betting by now. However, this plan has been postponed and is likely to remain on hold until August.

Odawa, USBookmaking partner for sports betting

Amidst the coronavirus-induced shutdown of the sports world, Michigan sports betting commenced on March 11.

USBookmaking has joined forces with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, known as the Odawa operators, to establish and manage their retail sports betting venture.

The family business in Las Vegas is currently managing sportsbooks at three tribal casinos located in New Mexico, and has future plans to establish additional sportsbooks in Colorado and Iowa.

According to Olson, the casino has filed a letter with the National Indian Gaming Commission for the purpose of seeking approval to commence sports betting operations in the current year.

Odawa partnered with a behemoth for online gambling

Instead of teaming up with a small, family-owned business for retail sports betting, Odawa has opted to join forces with a giant corporation for its online gambling operations.

In January, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians revealed a partnership with The Stars Group concerning their online operations.

This month, The Stars Group joined forces with Flutter, resulting in the formation of a gambling conglomerate. Prior to the merger, The Stars Group was already a prominent company known for operating PokerStars, a highly recognized name in the realm of online poker.

Considering that FanDuel, a fellow Flutter property, has already established a partnership with MotorCity Casino in Detroit, it is logical to assume that the Odawa partnership will enable Fox Bet to operate in Michigan.

The Odawa tribe can expect to receive a portion of the revenue generated by The Stars Group’s online offerings once online betting is launched in Michigan. The state’s online betting platform is expected to go live sometime between late summer and early 2021.