- Details
- By Levi Rickert
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Citing the primary focus on the health and safety of guests, team members and the public in the midst of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus), the Seminole Tribe of Florida and Seminole Gaming on Friday decided to voluntarily close all six Seminole and Hard Rock Casinos.
“This decision was not taken lightly as Seminole Gaming employs nearly 14,000 Seminole Gaming team members in the state. The goal has been to protect their livelihood without jeopardizing public safety. We have now reached a point where we do not feel comfortable taking that risk,” tribal officials said in a press release.
All Seminole casinos closed on Friday at 6 p.m.
This affects the following casinos:
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
- Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee
- Seminole Casino Brighton
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
- Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
- Seminole Classic Casino (Hollywood)
The Seminole Casinos joins dozens of other Indian gaming casinos that are shuttered due to the deadly virus. All of the casinos are closed voluntarily because Indian casinos are on trust land are governed by sovereign tribal nations.
“The safety and security of its guests and team members are of the highest priority to the Seminole Tribe, which is especially proud of its team’s response during this difficult time,” tribal officials further said in press release.
Editor’s Note: Native News Online is dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information about the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Indian Country.
More Stories Like This
Not Invisible Act Hearing Gathers Testimony on MMIP CasesNevada Man Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail for Fatal Car Accident that Killed Paiute Filmmaker Myron Dewey
MMIP Red Dress Installation Vandalized in Alaska
NCAI Mid Year Underway on Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Homelands
Native News Weekly (June 3, 2023): D.C. Briefs
Native News is free to read.
We hope you enjoyed the story you've just read. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.
Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps. Most readers donate between $10 and $25 to help us cover the costs of salaries, travel and maintaining our digital platforms. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to join the Founder's Circle. All donations help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.
Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you.
