A message from Wind Creek CEO, Jay Dorris

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Apr 28, 2020, 19:01 ET

ATMORE, Ala., April 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

It's been forty-five (45) days since we voluntarily closed our doors in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. A very common question heard frequently is "When is Wind Creek going to reopen?" And it comes from both guests and team members in equal parts!

So, when will we reopen?

We don't have a date yet, but I assure you, it will be the very first moment that we can provide guests and team members a fun and exciting experience without taking irresponsible public health risks. Our team is working through many solutions and our plans are coming into focus.

Just like professional sports, restaurants, office buildings and amusement parks, you'll see changes at Wind Creek when we reopen. Like other businesses, we will be limiting the number of guests, stepping up the frequency and intensity of sanitization, and increasing the use of PPE by our team members. We've been working diligently for the past few weeks to develop these plans, and we continue to fine tune them based on new data from authorities. Once the details and our full reopening plans are ready, we will publish them on our websites, our online casino (WindCreekCasino.com), and our social media outlets. And let's be clear – throughout this process plans change as new information becomes available. So all of us need to be flexible as we work our way through these times.

If the number of questions from our guests is any indication, I am sure demand for the Wind Creek experience will be high when we reopen. While I wish we could safely swing our doors open and invite everyone in all at once, our reopening will be conducted in phases.

We will begin with a "soft reopening," where we will invite small groups of guests to visit our properties to test out some of our new policies and procedures and ensure that they'll work on a larger scale.

Once we believe we can accommodate more guests, we will reopen to the general public. We will still be operating at reduced capacity and we don't want the excitement of visiting our property spoiled due to waiting in line to get in. So we will offer a new reservation system for casino visits. This system will allow guests to "reserve" a day and time in advance and will allow us to always keep the number of guests and team members on property and on the casino floor at a safe number. Please expect more information on this system soon.

Upon re-opening, you'll notice reduced capacity in our restaurants to ensure proper distance. We will also be making changes to self-service areas of food service, limiting the number of guests in retail outlets, limiting some services in our spas and fitness facilities, and making some changes in our hotels, valet parking, pools, bell service, and other entertainment venues.

We will continue to consult with health, regulatory, Tribal and commonwealth agencies so we can provide you and our team members the escape and fun environment expected from Wind Creek. Those same authorities are helping inform our decision about the proper time to reopen. While it won't be this Friday, May 1st, as you may have heard or read, we hope it will be soon.

When we reopen, our goal is to have a plan that will provide a smart and measured approach. It probably won't be perfect, and it will evolve once put into practice. But just as we erred on the side of caution for the health of our guests and team members when we chose to close before government shutdowns went in place, we will use our own best judgment on when to reopen in order to protect the well-being of our team members, guests and surrounding communities.

Thank you for your continued support through this period. We look forward to seeing you in the very near future at one of our Wind Creek properties. Stay safe.

Jay Dorris
President and CEO
Wind Creek Hospitality

About Wind Creek Hospitality

Wind Creek Hospitality is an authority of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Wind Creek Hospitality manages the Tribe's gaming facilities including: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Wetumpka, Wind Creek Montgomery, Wind Creek Bethlehem, Wa She Shu Casino in Nevada, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino, WindCreekCasino.com as well as racetracks in Alabama and Florida.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized Indian Tribe in the state of Alabama, operating as a sovereign nation with its own system of government and bylaws. The Tribe operates a variety of economic enterprises, which employ thousands.

SOURCE Wind Creek Hospitality