Grand Casino To Reopen Both Locations June 1

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- After 77 days of being closed, Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley will be opening on Monday with strict safety measures in place.

On Thursday, the Grand Casino, owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, announced that the two locations will open at 9 a.m. Monday, with a "soft reopening" for Mille Lacs Band members shareholders on Sunday.

Customers should expect changes put in place to comply with health restrictions due to COVID-19. Facemasks will be required for all guests and non-invasive temperature checks will happen at designated guest entrances.

The casino also announced that the both gaming floors will reopen as smoke-free environments.

"The sudden shifts that we have experienced in such a short timeframe due to this pandemic have given us the opportunity to question key assumptions about how we operate and to develop new best practices about safety measures for our returning Associates and our Guests," said Joe Nayquonabe, CEO of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures, the parent company of Grand Casino. "In good conscience, we couldn't build the best health and safety plan to do our part to help mitigate the spread of illness – an illness that hinders respiratory function – while continuing to operate as we once did."

Smoking lounges are being developed, but smoking is allowed outdoors.

The casino says the reopening is part of a "multi-phase reopening strategy".

"When we temporarily closed our doors, we didn't focus on a plan to get us 'back to normal.' Instead, we set out to develop a plan that will enhance Guest and Associate health and safety like never before," Nayquonabe said. "Even after this pandemic is over, our commitment to health and safety will be reflected in the positive changes we've made at Grand Casino."

Click here for more information on the reopening and what changes to expect.