fbpx
 

PENDLETON, Ore. — After one of its staff members was diagnosed with coronavirus, the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, Ore. has been temporarily closed as an act of caution to protect the general public.

The Wildhorse Resort & Casino is owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. It is the first American Indian casino impacted by the deadly virus that originated in China. 

As a precaution, the Confederated Tribes’ board of trustees ordered an Incident Command post established. The Incident Command will consist of staff from Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center and the Tribal Government. Many Confederated Tribes programs have been closed, including its community school, Head Start, daycare and senior center until fully sanitized. Tribal citizens and other interested parties should check the Confederated Tribes website for up to date information.

In addition, all community events on the Umatilla Indian Reservation are cancelled for the week of March 2 to 8, 2020. 

The Wildhorse Resort & Casino has the following message on its website as of Tuesday, March 3:

In an abundance of caution, Wildhorse Resort & Casino will close close immediately to complete a thorough and deep cleaning as a response to reports of a presumptive positive case of Covid-19. Updates will be posted at wildhorseresort.com regarding the reopening schedule. The closure includes the casino, convention center, hotel, Cineplex, Children's Entertainment Center, and restaurants. All activities are cancelled including casino promotions and events until further notice.

Six people have died since Saturday in neighboring Washington state.

More Stories Like This

WATCH: Native Bidaské with Podcast Co-hosts Crystal Hernandez and Shauna Humphreys
UP CLOSE: With Chuck Sams, First Native American to Lead the National Park Service
Native News Weekly (March 19, 2023): D.C. Briefs
Head Coach Kelvin Sampson (Lumbee) Leads Houston Cougars to NCAA Basketball Tournament Sweet 16
Learn Why the Choctaw Nation and Ireland Maintain Kindred Spirits

12 years of Native News

This month, we celebrate our 12th year of delivering Native News to readers throughout Indian Country and beyond. 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 this month to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and to tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.

Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you. 

About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected]