Casino at Westmoreland Mall set to reopen Monday as emergency covid restrictions end
The sound of jackpots will once again fill the air as Live! Casino Pittsburgh at Westmoreland Mall is set to reopen Monday at 8:01 a.m. — one minute after state-mandated restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic expire.
That means a lot of people will be getting back to work, said general manager Sean Sullivan. Before the new casino was ordered closed by the state, there were 570 employees, a few of whom stayed on as essential workers during the shutdown.
“It’s great for our team members who have been out of work for awhile,” he said. “The lion’s share was furloughed.”
Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday said that the restrictions enacted Dec. 12 will expire next week as efforts to slow the surge of new virus cases have been successful. That means the reopening of indoor dining and gyms at 50% capacity. Casinos are limited to half capacity as well.
The $150 million Live! Casino, owned by The Cordish Companies in Maryland, opened at the Hempfield mall on Nov. 24. During its first 21/2 weeks of operation, employees gained confidence and guests were happy to have a closer-to-home, upscale option for gambling, Sullivan said.
“I couldn’t be more happy with the first 18 days,” he said.
Officials will keep working under a Play It Safe plan that focuses on face masks, temperature checks, social distancing and cleaning of high-traffic areas such as slot machines and table game equipment. That plan was in place when the facility opened last month, along with plexiglass dividers, hand sanitizer stations and a thermal camera at the entrances. An air purification system has been installed in the facility’s HVAC system.
“We want people to come here and play, which is all about having fun, but we also want them to be safe,” Sullivan said.
The importance of maintaining cleanliness and following the guidelines is paramount, he said. He doesn’t want to risk another potential closure if state officials again see a concerning rise in case numbers.
“It’s as important as ever,” he said.
In all, 1,900 people will be allowed into the facility at a time under the capacity limit. The 100,000-square-foot casino is set to make an economic impact on the area. It features two levels with 750 slot machines and about 30 table games, along with a sportsbook, restaurants and other entertainment options.
Hiring for a variety of jobs is ongoing and numerous positions are available at workatlive.com.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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