Press Conference: Mayors, City Managers, and Cardrooms Urge Supervisors to Retain Outdoor Facilities

Gardens Casino table with protective shields.

November 30, 2020

Outdoor Gaming Adheres to Strict Protocols Including Plexiglass Between Players, No Food or Drink & Allows Work for Employees & Revenue for Cities

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Cities of Commerce, Bell Gardens, and Hawaiian Gardens will come together for a press conference today at 11 a.m. to call for Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to continue to allow for outdoor gaming for local cardrooms that they rely on for thousands of local jobs and millions in tax revenue. These cities depend on cardrooms as the largest employer in their cities and for tax revenue that accounts for up to 75% of their annual operating budgets.

Cardrooms are currently operating outdoors in a controlled environment and are one of the only industries with multiple sets of COVID-19 regulations in place. Protocols in place at cardrooms are stricter than most businesses including:

• Plexiglass must be installed and six-feet high between each player
• No food or drink is allowed at the table at any time
• Masks must be worn at all times
• Employee dealers must wear face shields and masks and have a plexiglass barrier between them and the players
• Sanitizing is extensive including each time a player leaves a seat
• Hand sanitizers and hand washing stations are located throughout the outdoor area
• Temperatures are taken before a player or employee can be admitted
• Extensive screening including multiple questions conducted of each customer before entering the outdoor facility

WHO:      City of Commerce Mayor Ivan Altamirano

                City of Commerce City Manager Edgar Cisneros

                Hawaiian Gardens Mayor Jesse Alvarado

                Hawaiian Gardens City Manager Ernie Hernandez

                Bell Gardens Mayor Alejandra Cortez

                Bell Gardens City Manager Michael B. O’Kelly

WHEN:    Monday, Nov. 30, 2020

                11AM

WHERE: Commerce Casino (outside at the tented area)

                6131 Telegraph Road

                Commerce, CA 90040

MEDIA TOURS: Following the press conference, media is invited to tour the outdoor casino to observe the strict health and safety protocols in place.

MEDIA RSVP: Media interested in attending should RSVP to [email protected]

**Strict health and safety protocols will be enforced, including social distancing and masks required at all times.