Jake’s 58 Unveils Coronavirus Safety Measures Ahead Of Reopening

ISLANDIA, NY — Jake's 58 Casino Hotel in Islandia is scheduled to reopen its gaming floor at 8 a.m. Wednesday. The entertainment destination implemented its trademarked Play It Safe program ahead of the reopening.

The program features new health and safety standards aimed at helping keep guests and employees safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Casinos in New York are able to reopen at 25 percent capacity, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday.

Play It Safe encompasses Jake’s 58’s new operating procedures, which have been re-engineered to minimize contact risk, according to a news release. It includes advanced hygiene protocols to meet or exceed best-practice guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As part of this effort, the facility will undergo rigorous, ongoing cleaning and sterilization with Ecolab products, which are made to eliminate bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19. The casino will close nightly for a deep-cleaning of all public areas.

"Our Play It Safe program, which Delaware North has successfully implemented in reopening other casinos, focused on the health and safety of our guests and employees, which is our top priority," said Chuck Kilroy, general manager of Jake’s 58 for operator Delaware North. "We’ve worked closely with the state to ensure we are taking appropriate safety measures to reopen."

Delaware North operates gaming at Jake’s 58 for Suffolk County OTB. A reopening date for the hotel at Jake’s 58, which is owned by Delaware North, is being determined.

In order to meet the state's 25 percent capacity directive, the gaming floor will feature a reduced number of active video gaming machines at least 6 feet apart. Employees and guests will be required to wear face coverings.

Gaming hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. daily. Valet parking, coat check, scooter rentals and wheelchairs will not be available. The Lucky North players club will have limited hours.

The food and beverage options will be reduced, and no eating or drinking will be allowed on the gaming floor, Jake's 58 said, citing the state's guidelines.

Key elements of the Play it Safe program include:

• Guests are asked to adhere to social distancing protocols while waiting to enter.
• All incoming guests will be required to present identification as a record of their visit for contact tracing purposes.
• All guests will be required to wear a mask or other face covering during their visit. Guests will need to provide their own masks.
• Temperature screening and health check of guests takes place upon entering the facility.
• An on-site Clean Team has been created, and its members are equipped with Ecolab® multi-surface cleaner and disinfectant to conduct ongoing sanitization of all surfaces. They will help to protect guests by dispensing hand sanitizer and cleaning video gaming machines and other surfaces on request.
• Social distancing protocols are in-place throughout the facility.
• Touchless service and payment options are now available at food and beverage outlets.
• Hand-sanitizing stations have been added at the entrance and throughout the facility.
• We have upgraded our air filtration systems to meet or exceed New York State guidelines.
• Some service offerings may be limited or unavailable to help maintain safe social distancing and health and safety guidelines.

Employees will undergo comprehensive training on Play It Safe health and safety standards and are required to follow all policies and procedures, including rigorous sanitization and hygiene requirements. Employees will take a health check, including a temperature screening, when they report to work.

Jake’s 58 is operated by Delaware North, a global hospitality and entertainment company with a portfolio of regional gaming and entertainment destinations. Delaware North has added the Play It Safe program at its gaming destinations in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, West Virginia and Australia.

Jake's 58 is located at 3635 Express Dr. North, Islandia — just off exit 58 of the Long Island Expressway.

The gaming room features 1,000 video lottery terminal gaming machines, including electronic table game favorites Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat, Three Card Poker and more.