Big changes coming to Live! Casino & Hotel in Maryland amid pandemic

HANOVER, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way businesses all over the world operate, and casinos are no exception. It’s why Live! Casino & Hotel in Anne Arundel County released a new health and safety plan Thursday in preparation for eventually opening back up.

“Everything we’re doing is trying to strike a great balance between being safe and getting businesses and the economy started again,” Live! Casino President Rob Norton explained while giving FOX 5 an early look at some of the new precautions that have been put in place.

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They include thermal scanners positioned at casino entrances, plexiglass barriers at the front desk, in between slot machines, and at table games too, restaurants have been reconfigured, there’s new signage all over, and whenever the time comes, guests will notice staff members walking around with back-pack-mounted ionization sprayers as well.

It’s all on top of a phased reopening approach that Norton said would include a new reservation system to manage occupancy, as well as new training and screening procedures for employees.

Not to mention, Live! Plans to take advantage of 24/7 surveillance that’s already in place. As an example, Norton said the system could be used to make sure guests are wearing their required PPE.

“The resources that we have in the casino give us the ability to do things that other small businesses might not be able to do,” he said.

But make no mistake, Live! – like so many businesses – is feeling the effects of the pandemic. Norton said they’ve had to lay-off almost 2,500 people, or more than 90 percent of their staff.

“And even with those layoffs,” he added, “we’re still struggling through bleeding money until we’re able to reopen.”

As of now, Norton doesn’t know when that reopening date will come, but said whenever it is, Live! is ready.