WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — Southland Casino Racing will implement a comprehensive program ahead of its May 18 reopening that features new health and safety standards aimed at helping keep guests and employees safe while slowing the spread of COVID-19.
The program, called Play It Safe™, encompasses Southland’s new operating procedures, which have been reengineered to minimize contact risk. It includes bolstered hygiene protocols to meet or exceed best-practice guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As part of this effort, the facility will undergo rigorous, ongoing cleaning and sterilization with Ecolab® products, which are formulated to eliminate bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19 and will close nightly for a deep-cleaning of all public areas.
“The health and safety of guests and employees is above everything,” said David Wolf, president and general manager of Southland Casino Racing. “Throughout our temporary closure and during the development of the Play It Safe program, we have been working closely with state and local government officials and public health officers to ensure we are taking appropriate safety precautions.”
Key elements of the Play it Safe program include:
- Guests are asked to adhere to social distancing protocols while waiting to enter.
- All incoming guests will be added to a guest registry and their identity will be stored as a record of their visit.
- All guests will be required to wear a mask or other face covering during their visit.
- Temperature screening of guests takes place upon entering the facility.
- An on-site Clean Team has been created, and its members are equipped with Ecolab® multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant to conduct ongoing sanitization of all surfaces. They will help to protect guests by dispensing hand sanitizer and spot cleaning slot machines and other surfaces on request.
- Social distancing protocols are in place throughout the facility.
- Touchless service and payment options are now available at food and beverage outlets.
- Hand-sanitizing stations have been added at the entrance and throughout the facility.
- Air exchange settings have been bolstered to optimize air quality within the facility.
- Some service offerings may be limited or unavailable to help maintain safe social distancing and health and safety guidelines.
- No smoking will be permitted within the facility, and designated smoking areas will be established and maintained outside of the building.
Employees will undergo comprehensive training on Play It Safe health and safety standards and are required to strictly adhere to Play It Safe policies and procedures, including rigorous sanitization and hygiene requirements. Employees take a health check, including a temperature screen, when they report to work and are required to wear masks while on duty.
Southland will reopen at one-third capacity per the state’s directive and will feature a reduced number of slots and no table games, live racing or sports betting. The Lucky North players club will have limited hours, and food and beverage options will also be limited, with the World Market Buffet closed. The casino’s hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Southland will continue to consult on its plans with the Arkansas State Racing Commission, the State of Arkansas and the Crittenden County Health Department.
Southland Casino Racing is owned and operated by Delaware North, a global hospitality and entertainment company with a portfolio of regional gaming and entertainment destinations. Delaware North is implementing Play It Safe throughout its gaming portfolio, which includes destinations in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Australia.
