Northern Lights Casino (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Glenn Hicks

gaming returns

P.A. casino to resume operations June 20

May 28, 2021 | 5:12 PM

A chance to get out to a different place and see people.

That’s one of the messages from the Saskatchewan Indigenous Gaming Authority (SIGA) with news Prince Albert’s Northern Lights Casino (NLC) will re-open June 20, along with their other six properties across the province. This is in line with the government’s roadmap amid the continued success of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

“I think the hardest part for everybody during the pandemic has been the sense of isolation,” Patricia Cook, VP of Corporate Affairs, told paNOW. “I think this gives people hope and staff will be excited there’s an opportunity to come back to work. [It’s] not only for the patrons but for the staff to be able to normalize things.”

SIGA said earlier this week just over 900 people in total had been out of work since the shutdown of casinos Dec.19 and most would be returning to their jobs. SIGA could not immediately provide specific job numbers impacted in P.A. The seven casinos also endured an initial shut down soon after the pandemic arrived in this province and re-opened for the first time in July.

During the initial phase of opening later this month, SIGA will start up in a reduced capacity with the 150-person maximum and maintaining the physical distancing requirements to ensure adherence to the public health guidelines. SIGA casinos will offer select gaming and food service and will enhance services as more restrictions are lifted.

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Cook said table games would not be available immediately at NLC but the hope was to reinstate those from July. Restaurants will be open and following the same hygiene and social distancing protocols as any other restaurant in the province.

Patrons arriving at the NLC in July last year after the first shutdown. There was information at the entrance and face masks were given to those who didn’t have one (paNOW Staff)

“The casino has some of the best health and safety standards in place,” Cook added. “We implemented our enhanced set of cleaning standards in July last year so we’re pretty confident we’ll be taking care of our patrons as best as we can.”

Going forward, the operating hours for Northern Lights Casino will be:

Sunday – Thursday 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Friday, Saturday, and Stat Holidays 10 a.m. to 4 a.m.

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glenn.hicks@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @princealbertnow