Arkansas' casinos will be allowed to reopen on May 18 at one-third capacity "with stringent social distancing requirements in place," Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced Thursday during a press briefing in Texarkana.
Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison called the announcement "great news" for Hot Springs, as Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort is the "number one tourist destination" in the state.
Oaklawn is a "mainstay of our tourism product here, so it's very welcomed news and I can't wait for the 18th to get here," Arrison said.
Hutchinson, during the daily COVID-19 press briefing, said the state is working to provide guidance to the three gaming casinos in Arkansas, which includes Oaklawn, "so that they can renew limited operations."
Hutchinson said the gaming industry has presented proposals as to how they could socially distance "in that environment" and "manage the population there."
Oaklawn had not released a statement as of presstime Thursday.
Oaklawn announced on March 15 that, after two people in Garland County tested positive for the virus, the decision was made to voluntarily close the casino for two weeks, effective March 16-30.
Hutchinson subsequently ordered Oaklawn and the state's two other casinos -- Southland in West Memphis, and Saracen Casino Annex in Pine Bluff -- to close for the remainder of March as one of the efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
On April 1, Oaklawn extended the closure through April 30 pursuant to an ADH directive extending the closure.
Hutchinson said Dr. Nate Smith, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health, has "worked very hard, we've all worked hard" with the industry to allow the casinos to renew "limited operations."
He also noted that the casinos are continuing to work with Smith, who would be releasing the guidance either late Thursday or today. No guidance had been posted on the Health Department website by presstime.
"We'll be monitoring it very closely," Hutchinson said.
Arrison said Oaklawn reopening is "another great step," although the state "still has a long way to go" in coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic's economical effects. He said he would still like to see restaurants operating at 100% dine-in capacity and Magic Springs Theme and Water Park reopening.
The Hot Springs Visitors Center operated by Visit Hot Springs in Hill Wheatley Plaza will also reopen May 18, as downtown continues to see more people, and with Memorial Day weekend coming up, Arrison said.
"We just need to have this service so we can tell our visitors what restaurants are serving (and) what's open and not open," he said.
"Sort of the issue right now is hotels are taking out-of-town travelers and restaurants are opening at one-third capacity. Now thank goodness, we've got Oaklawn open now so that gives them something to do, but really only the national park and the Northwoods and the lakes, there's really not a whole lot open now. So we really need to get information to our visitors as they come downtown to let them know all the great things they still can do here."
The Visitors Center will operate under the following guidelines:
• Required masks for employees and visitors.
• Required signage at entrances.
• One set of doors will be the entrance and the other set of doors the exit.
• Plexiglass panels to protect employees at work stations.
• Limit to no more than 10 visitors in the facility at one time.
• Public restrooms to be sanitized at least once per hour.
• All contact surfaces to be wiped at least once per hour.
• Doors to be propped open on good weather days.
• Hand sanitizer stations to be at both entrance, exit, and counter.
Local on 05/08/2020