Grand Falls Casino's gaming floor reopens June 1

Friday 29th May 2020

Grand Falls Casino Resort near Larchwood, Iowa. (Jay Pickthorn/Argus Leader)

Starting on Monday, the Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort's casino will be back in business as Iowa loosens its restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic -- with some changes.

For one thing, said General Manager Sharon Haselhoff, the occupancy on the casino's gaming floor will be capped at 480 patrons.

"Normally it's a lot higher," said Haselhoff, who didn't have an exact number on the normal occupancy, but said it was at least 3,000.

Since Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued guidance that allowed casinos to reopen in the state on May 26, Haselhoff said staff have been going through training focused on employee health and hygiene, as well as many of the safety measures that will be put into place as the casino reopens.

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That includes some slot machines being out of service to ensure six feet of distance between players -- or in the case of some of the more popular games, physical barriers between the machines so they can remain playable.

The casino is not looking at reopening table games at this time, Haselhoff said, but as restrictions change they'll continue to look at their plans.

The casino's hotel, spa and some restaurants have also been reopening with similar safety measures in place since mid-May.

"We're ready to show you a good time," Haselhoff said. "A safe, fun, good time."

More information about the casino's policies can be found on their website.