reopening blueprint<\/a>.<\/p>\nOther cardrooms in the state are making do by opening outdoors, following guidelines issued by the state earlier this month. Two prominent Bay Area<\/strong> cardrooms, Bay 101<\/strong> and Casino M8trix<\/strong> in San Jose<\/strong>, recently commenced outdoor gaming.<\/p>\nRepresentatives from two early adopters of outdoor gaming spoke with PlayCA<\/em><\/strong> about making the transition.<\/p>\nCalifornia cardrooms prospering with outdoor gaming<\/span><\/h2>\nWhen Stars Casino<\/strong> in Tracy<\/strong> became the first California cardroom to offer outdoor gaming on Aug. 8<\/strong>, CEO Emmanuel Macalino<\/strong> expected it to make 60% to 70%<\/strong> of previous revenues.<\/p>\nTo his pleasant surprise, the cardroom posted 120%<\/strong> of its revenue from the previous year during its first month of outdoor operations.<\/p>\n“Being the first to open really gave us a boost,” Macalino said. “That put us on the map. We’re one of the smaller card rooms and being able to pull the trigger on opening first really helped us with revenue.”<\/p>\n
Most importantly, Macalino said the cardroom was able to put its full workforce back to work<\/strong> without any reports of a customer or employee coming down with COVID-19<\/strong> since the reopening.<\/p>\nBrad Samuel<\/strong>, head of marketing for mid-sized cardrooms Stones Gambling Hall<\/strong> in Sacramento<\/strong> and Seven Mile Casino<\/strong> in San Diego<\/strong>, agreed that interest in outdoor gaming has been high since they reopened a month ago.<\/p>\n\n“It’s been busy and it keeps getting busier. There seems to have been a strong, pent-up demand with people to get out, have a bit of fun and do it safely. We feel very fortunate now to be open and be busy and have the community really embrace what we’re doing.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Challenges of operating gaming outdoors<\/span><\/h2>\nMoving gaming tables and setting up outdoors is the easy part. Cardrooms operating outdoors have found some difficulty dealing with the weather conditions<\/strong>.<\/p>\nOver the first month of operations, the cardrooms faced bad air from fires<\/strong>, intense heat<\/strong> with triple-digit temperatures, and wind<\/strong>. Stars shut down for a couple of days when the smoke level got high.<\/p>\nIt also strategically placed windbreakers to block the winds that can reach 20 to 30 miles per hour<\/strong>.<\/p>\nSeven Mile Casino contracted with one of the companies that does tents for the Oscars<\/strong> to provide shade. Even though they are outdoors, the cardroom also added large air conditioning units<\/strong> to pump in cool, fresh air to address the heat and smoke.<\/p>\n“The challenges of being outdoors are just purely environmental,” Samuel said. “If it’s a little extra smokey or windy, what do you do? Every day you learn something new and take it into the next day.”<\/p>\n
Stars found some of the state guidelines on outdoor operations to be unnecessarily burdensome<\/strong>. Particularly the requirement to have three-foot high barriers<\/strong> to keep wayward vehicles out of the gaming area while allowing for airflow.<\/p>\nThe barriers at Stars are higher than three feet, but airflow isn’t an issue with the area winds.<\/p>\n
Macalino asked cardroom attorney Keith Sharp<\/strong> to seek clarification on the barriers, hand sanitizing stations versus handwashing stations, and the washing of paper chips.<\/p>\nCounties moving on up colored tiers<\/span><\/h2>\nCalifornia has 58 counties<\/strong>. When the governor introduced his blueprint for the industry reopening at the end of August, 38 counties<\/strong> were in the most restrictive purple tier. That total is now down to 25<\/strong>.<\/p>\nCardrooms must wait until they fall into a specific tier in order to reopen indoors at reduced capacities. The tiers are based on coronavirus positivity rates in the county. There are four<\/strong> different color-coded tiers.<\/p>\nIf the cardroom is in a county that reaches the orange tier <\/strong>(2-4.9% positivity rate), it can reopen at 25% capacity<\/strong>. If the county reaches the yellow tier<\/strong> (less than 2% positivity rate), cardrooms can reopen at 50% capacity<\/strong>.<\/p>\nEleven counties<\/strong> are in the orange tier, up from eight<\/strong>. Over the three weeks, no additional counties have joined the three in the yellow tier<\/strong> that permits 50%<\/strong> capacity.<\/p>\nStars’ San Joaquin County<\/strong>, Stones’ Sacramento County<\/strong>, and Seven Mile’s San Diego County<\/strong> all are far-off from the orange tier. But when they do reach that level, expect the cardrooms to move indoors while continuing to operate outdoors for a larger capacity.<\/p>\nAccording to Macalino,<\/p>\n
\n“We are considering a hybrid operation. A lot of our players and guests really love the outdoor setup. But I think just for practicality purposes we need to go back indoors when allowed. In California, people love the outdoors and I think having that option is great.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
This table shows which California cardrooms are open and the tiers of their counties:<\/p>\n
\n\n\nCardroom<\/b><\/th>\n County<\/b><\/th>\n Tier<\/b><\/th>\n Indoors<\/b><\/th>\n Outdoors<\/b><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n\nLivermore Casino<\/td>\n ALAMEDA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOaks Card Club<\/td>\n ALAMEDA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPalace Card Room<\/td>\n ALAMEDA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nParkwest Casino 580<\/td>\n ALAMEDA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCasino 99<\/td>\n BUTTE<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCalifornia Grand Casino<\/td>\n CONTRA COSTA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nKelly’s<\/td>\n CONTRA COSTA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nNineteenth Hole<\/td>\n CONTRA COSTA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nClovis 500 Club<\/td>\n FRESNO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nClub One Casino<\/td>\n FRESNO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nNorth Coast Casino<\/td>\n HUMBOLDT<\/td>\n Orange<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTommy’s Casino & Saloon<\/td>\n IMPERIAL<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAviator<\/td>\n KERN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nDiamond Jim’s<\/td>\n KERN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nGolden West Casino<\/td>\n KERN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nBicycle Casino<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nClub Caribe<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCommerce Casino<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCrystal Casino<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nHawaiian Gardens Casino<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nHollywood Park<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nHustler Casino<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLarry Flynt’s Lucky Lady Casino<\/td>\n LOS ANGELES<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLa Primavera Pool Hall & Café<\/td>\n MADERA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nClub San Rafael<\/td>\n MARIN<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nGolden Valley Casino<\/td>\n MERCED<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nBanker’s Casino<\/td>\n MONTEREY<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nMarina Club<\/td>\n MONTEREY<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nMortimer’s Card Room<\/td>\n MONTEREY<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPinnacle Casino<\/td>\n MONTEREY<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nNapa Valley Casino<\/td>\n NAPA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTowers Casino<\/td>\n NEVADA<\/td>\n Orange<\/td>\n 9\/22<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nBruce’s Casino<\/td>\n RIVERSIDE<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLake Elsinore Hotel and Casino<\/td>\n RIVERSIDE<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCapitol Casino<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nHotel Del Rio & Casino<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nFolsom Lake Bowl<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLimelight Card Room <\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nMagnolia House Casino<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nParkwest Casino Cordova<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nParkwest Casino Lotus<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/27<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nRogelio’s Inc.<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nStones Gambling Hall<\/td>\n SACRAMENTO<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLucky Lady<\/td>\n SAN DIEGO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOcean’s Eleven Casino<\/td>\n SAN DIEGO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSeven Mile Casino<\/td>\n SAN DIEGO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/25<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCasino Real<\/td>\n SAN JOAQUIN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nKings Card Club\/ Westlane Cardroom <\/td>\n SAN JOAQUIN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/26<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nParkwest Casino Lodi<\/td>\n SAN JOAQUIN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/24<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nStar’s Casino<\/td>\n SAN JOAQUIN<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 8\/8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCentral Coast Casino – Grover Beach<\/td>\n SAN LUIS OBISPO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPaso Robles Casino<\/td>\n SAN LUIS OBISPO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOceana (Brooks) Card room<\/td>\n SAN LUIS OBISPO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOld Cayucos Tavern<\/td>\n SAN LUIS OBISPO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOutlaws Card Parlour<\/td>\n SAN LUIS OBISPO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nArtichoke’s Joe’s Casino<\/td>\n SAN MATEO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 9\/4<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nLucky Chances<\/td>\n SAN MATEO<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nJalisco Pool Room<\/td>\n SANTA BARBARA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nBay 101<\/td>\n SANTA CLARA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 9\/11<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCasino M8trix<\/td>\n SANTA CLARA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n 9\/12<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nGarlic City Club<\/td>\n SANTA CLARA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTres Lounge and Casino<\/td>\n SANTA CRUZ<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOcean View Card room<\/td>\n SANTA CRUZ<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCasino Club<\/td>\n SHASTA<\/td>\n Orange<\/td>\n 9\/15<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSt. Charles Place<\/td>\n SIERRA<\/td>\n Red<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nParkwest Casino Sonoma (The 101)<\/td>\n SONOMA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nThe River Card room<\/td>\n SONOMA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nEmpire Sportsmen’s Assoc.<\/td>\n STANISLAUS<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nMike’s Card Casino<\/td>\n STANISLAUS<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nTurlock Poker Room<\/td>\n STANISLAUS<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nDeuce Lounge & Casino<\/td>\n TULARE<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nThe Mint<\/td>\n TULARE<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSundowner Card Room (Visalia)<\/td>\n TULARE<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPlayer’s Poker Club<\/td>\n VENTURA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nCasino Marysville<\/td>\n YUBA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nGolden State Casino<\/td>\n YUBA<\/td>\n Purple<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n N<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
Los Angeles cardrooms hope to join the fun<\/span><\/h2>\nAs shown in the table above, less than 20%<\/strong> of California cardrooms are currently open in any capacity.<\/p>\nThe seven Los Angeles cardrooms<\/strong> hope to get permission to reopen outdoors next week. The County Board of Supervisors<\/strong> promised to take up the issue at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 29<\/strong>.<\/p>\nThe cardrooms asked the board for permission to reopen two weeks earlier. However, Los Angeles County Public Health<\/strong> Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer<\/strong> asked the board to wait until the end of the month to see if Labor Day<\/strong> caused a spike of cases.<\/p>\nEach Los Angeles cardroom filed health and sanitation plans with the Bureau of Gambling Control<\/strong> this week.<\/p>\nAccording to Sharp,<\/p>\n
\n“Reopening is not without risks but we think with all the protocols we’ve put in place and the health standards we’ve committed to, it helps mitigate that risk. We’ll have at least two sets of inspectors coming to inspect us, from the Department of Health and the Bureau of Gambling Control, and there’s only seven of us. We want to stay in line and I’m sure the regulators will make sure we stay in line.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The post ‘Pent-Up’ Gamblers Flock To Outdoor California Cardrooms, Revenues Spike appeared first on Play CA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
More California cardrooms are reopening as coronavirus conditions continue to improve in counties throughout the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"link","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","vebbtech_seo_disable_yoast":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_author":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_date":false,"vebbtech_seo_hide_factchecker":false,"vebbtech_seo_fact_check_enabled":false,"vebbtech_seo_post_reviewer":0,"vebbtech_seo_post_review_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-41270","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-link","6":"category-news-category","7":"post_format-post-format-link"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\u2018Pent-Up\u2019 Gamblers Flock To Outdoor California Cardrooms, Revenues Spike -<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n