RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) – Albeit with major limitations, the Morongo Casino in the Riverside County community of Cabazon will reopen Friday afternoon for the first time since it closed back in mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

May 19, 2020 RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) – Albeit with major limitations, the Morongo Casino in the Riverside County community of Cabazon will reopen Friday afternoon for the first time since it closed back in mid-March due to the coronavirus outbreak. FILE — Slot machines sit idle at the Emerald Island Casino on May 2, 2020 in Henderson, Nevada. A sign guides casino-goers to the door and separates people to line up at a distance while waiting to enter Morongo Casino & Resort's on Friday, May 22, 2020 in Cabazon, Calif. Boasting 272 guest rooms and 32 spacious suites, Morongo Casino Resort is a welcoming retreat in the midst of breathtaking hills and canyons at the foothills of the San Gorgonio and San Jacinto Mountains. Enjoy such features as complimentary Wi-Fi, fully-stocked minibars, 42' LCD HD televisions with On-Demand movies, and oversized showers in our luxury accommodations near Palm. Nov 20, 2020 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Updated: Q: With Governor Newsom’s new curfew in effect this Saturday, will the casino be closing? A: Morongo Casino Resort & Spa (“MCRS”) and Casino Morongo (“CM”) will remain open. Morongo Casino Resort and Spa and Casino Morongo closed today, Tuesday March 17, and will remain closed through the end of March. The casino closed at noon. A press release was issued regarding the casino closure due to the coronavirus outbreak.

FILE — Slot machines sit idle at the Emerald Island Casino on May 2, 2020 in Henderson, Nevada. (Getty Images)

The Morongo Casino Resort & Spa announced Tuesday that it will reopen for slots and table games, but with limited seating.

Some slots will be either deactivated or equipped with plastic/acrylic shields.

All guests and staff must undergo temperature screenings before entry and they must wear masks at all times while inside.

Its hotel will also reopen with limited capacity.

“We would not have reopen if we didn’t feel we had taken the steps to make this a safe, healthy environment,” said Simon Farmer, marketing executive director for Morongo.

The pools and spas, gyms, Cielo Steakhouse and Potrero Canyon Buffet will all remain closed, along with valet parking, and poker and bingo rooms.

Several eateries in the casino will be open, including the Mozen Asian Kitchen, Pink Coffee, Good Times Cafe, the Sideline Grill and the food court. However, the restaurants will require physical distancing.

“Our reopening is being guided by our abiding commitment to protecting the health and well-being of our guests, team members, and the community,” Morongo Chief Operating Officer Richard St. Jean said in a statement. “We have spent countless hours developing enhanced safety and sanitation protocols and procedures that strengthen our already-exacting standards for cleanliness.”

The casino, which is located on the Morongo Reservation, reopens at 2 p.m. Friday. Several other casinos in Southern California are reopening this week, including Viejas Casino and Resort in San Diego County. Pechanga Resort Casino is set to reopen June 1.

Nine weeks after it was shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa reopened Friday, drawing in guests who were eager to enjoy the casino again.

Visitors formed a long line leading out casino doors as they waited to get inside, where they found several changes. Visitors like Becky Adler drove in from Santa Clarita the night before just to get out of the house after two months stuck inside.

'I got my mask. I've got my hand sanitizer. I'm okay, I'm not scared. I think it is going to be okay,' Adler said.

The casino is an economic powerhouse for the greater Riverside County region, generating an estimated $3 billion dollars annually. In order to reopen, the casino put in place several safety measures to ensure the safety of its staff and guests.

'When you come in, the experience it going to be a little bit different. So, when the guest first arrives we are requiring masks. Above and beyond that when guests enter they will be subject to temperature checks. We want to make sure everyone is symptom free when they come in,' said Simon Farmer, marketing director for the casino.

Once inside, guests were met with the casino's latest additions: plexiglass dividers between slot machines and playing tables, along with a recently expanded 65,000 square-foot gaming floor. Limited seating and markings on the floor helped visitors maintain their physical distance from others.

But while much of the casino is reopen for business, the buffets, concerts and pools will take a little longer to be re-introduced.

Is Morongo Casino Open Today

A handful of other casinos across the region also said they would reopen, including Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella and Tortoise Rock Casino in Twentynine Palms.