Four Winds Casino plans for reopening in South Bend
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — The Four Winds Casino in South Bend may reopen before the other 13 state-regulated casinos across Indiana. The Pokagon Gaming Authority said Monday it plans to resume gaming on June 15.
In addition to the Indiana casino, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi also operates three casinos in southwest Michigan.
The casino operator must still get approval from the Pokagon Gaming Commission which is scheduled to hold a hearing on June 8.
“We’ve been closely monitoring the data related to the spread of COVID-19, consulting with medical experts, and evaluating the potential impact the virus could have on our community and employees,” said Matthew Wesaw, Tribal Council Chairman and CEO of Pokagon Gaming Authority.
As Inside INdiana Business first reported last week, the Pokagon band operates under federal sovereignty granted to them in 1994, allowing it to self-govern.
“Although we are a Sovereign Nation, we’ve also considered recommendations from the federal government, Centers for Disease Control, and Governors from both Michigan and Indiana, before setting June 15 as our target date for reopening,” said Wesaw.
He said it is possible that this date could change due to a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, “but we will continue to monitor the situation as we work towards this reopening goal.”
Four Winds Casino shut down operations on March 17 due to the growing COVID-19 pandemic. The casino started operating in January 2018.
The casino said it has started the process to recall its employees.