Ameristar Council Bluffs to suspend operations

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Penn National Gaming, Inc. announced today that pursuant to an order from Governor Kim Reynolds, it will temporarily suspend operations at Ameristar Council Bluffs beginning at noon today through midnight on 31 March 2020 as a precautionary measure against the ongoing spread of COVID-19. Governor Reynolds will be continuing to work with the state’s licensed casinos, as well as local, state and federal health authorities to determine safe protocols for when operations may resume.

“The health and well-being of our guests and team members will always be our paramount concern,” said Jay Snowden, President and CEO of Penn National Gaming. “Since the coronavirus threat began, we have implemented stringent CDC-recommended protocols throughout our enterprise, including increased daily cleaning regimens, maximizing air circulation, cancelling or postponing all live events, and we’re in the process of reducing the number of chairs at our dining facilities, table games and poker rooms, as well as the number of slot machines in play at any one time, to increase social distancing, among other initiatives.

“As for our more than 700 team members at Ameristar Casino Council Bluffs who will be impacted by this temporary closure, we plan to continue to pay their wages and benefits through the end of March. In addition, we’ll be donating perishable food items to the Food Bank for the Heartland.

“This is a challenging time for all of us, and we are very appreciative of the overwhelming support and understanding from our guests and team members. We look forward to reopening our doors just as soon as possible. In the meantime, we will be taking the opportunity to continue our deep cleaning efforts and preparing our casino to welcome our loyal customers back,” concluded Mr. Snowden.