Penn National Gaming temporarily closes Zia Park Casino

(PRESS RELEASE) -- Penn National Gaming, Inc. announced today that pursuant to an order from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Zia Park Casino & Racetrack will be temporarily suspending gaming operations from Monday, 16 March 2020 until 10 April 2020 as a precautionary measure against the ongoing spread of COVID-19. The hotel will remain open and Zia Park will continue to consult with the Governor’s office and public health authorities to determine safe protocols for when gaming operations can 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 there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 at any Penn National casino, and we have implemented stringent CDC-recommended protocols throughout our enterprise, including increased daily cleaning regimens at our facilities, maximizing air circulation, cancelling or postponing all concerts and live events, and we’re in the process of temporarily closing down buffets, just to name a few.

“As for our 200 team members at Zia Park, who will be impacted by this temporary closure, we plan to continue to pay them their full wages and benefits for two weeks, at which time we will reevaluate the situation. 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 casinos to welcome our loyal customers back,” concluded Mr. Snowden.