As screens turned dark around them as the clock inched closer to 5 p.m., people still spun the reels on still-operational slot machines at San Manuel Casino in Highland on Sunday, March 15, while patrons sat playing video poker at closed bars that were no longer serving drinks.

The scene was the beginning of a shutdown by the casino that would last through the end of the month amid concerns over the novel coronavirus. San Manuel was one of the first casinos to announce a plan for a temporary closure over the weekend, but soon they were joined by several other casinos on tribal land, including Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Augustine Casino in Coachella, Casino Pauma in Pauma Valley and Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center.

Tribal casinos were not the only entities to close over the weekend. Casinos and card rooms in Los Angeles County also announced and began closures.

As Southern California casinos closed, Las Vegas resorts also announced their plans to shutter, with MGM Resorts, owner of several Las Vegas Strip properties such as the MGM Grand, Bellagio and the Mirage, announcing that they would be closed starting Tuesday, March 17.

A guest at San Manuel Casino in Highland is turned away at the entrance Sunday, March 15, 2020 after the casino closed. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A guest at San Manuel Casino in Highland Sunday, March 15, 2020 sits next to a turned off slot machine Sunday March 15, 2020. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Sound The gallery will resume in seconds

Signs line Victoria Avenue warning visitors of San Manuel Casino’s upcoming closure on Sunday, March 15, 2020. The Highland casino is suspending operations at 5 p.m. Sunday and will remain closed till the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A sign inside San Manuel Casino in Highland tells guests about their closure Sunday, March 15, 2020. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A man stands near a bank of slot machines, some of them having been turned off, at San Manuel Casino in Highland Sunday, March 15, 2020. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)



Guests leave San Manuel Casino in Highland Sunday, March 15, 2020. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Pechanga is scheduled to be shut down at noon Monday as seen Sunday, March 15, 2020. The facility is suspending casino operations until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The San Manuel Police Department turns away guests to San Manuel Casino in Highland Sunday, March 15, 2020 after the casino suspended operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A guest at San Manuel Casino in Highland is turned away at the entrance Sunday, March 15, 2020 after the casino closed. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

A couple read a sign about the closing of San Manuel Casino in Highland Sunday, March 15, 2020 as they leave the casino shortly before 5 p.m. The facility suspended casino operations at 5 p.m. today and will remain closed until the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)



Signs line Victoria Avenue warning visitors of San Manuel Casino’s upcoming closure on Sunday, March 15, 2020. The Highland casino is suspending operations at 5 p.m. Sunday and will remain closed till the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Signs line Victoria Avenue warning visitors of San Manuel Casino’s upcoming closure on Sunday, March 15, 2020. The Highland casino is suspending operations at 5 p.m. Sunday and will remain closed till the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Signs line Victoria Avenue warning visitors of San Manuel Casino’s upcoming closure on Sunday, March 15, 2020. The Highland casino is suspending operations at 5 p.m. Sunday and will remain closed till the end of the month due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

Many of the casinos issued statements saying that they were closing in the interest of guest and employee safety.

On Saturday night, Pechanga Resort Casino announced that it would be closing its doors starting at noon Monday, March 16.

On Sunday morning, Harrah’s resort sent a news release that it would close for two weeks, beginning at 6 a.m. Monday, March 16, until March 30, “while the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians evaluates the situation.”

“On behalf of the Rincon Tribe, out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees, we have made the decision to temporarily close our casino operations to help further mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” stated Bo Mazzetti, Chairman of Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians.

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The news release noted that Harrah’s employees will continue to be paid and their benefits eligibility will not be interrupted for up to two weeks. San Manuel and Pechanga also both said employees will continue to be paid and receive benefits.

Casino Pauma, also in northern San Diego County, posted on its website that it would close as of 5 p.m. Sunday until further notice.

“We believe we need to work together as a community to combat the spread of the virus and consider everyone’s well-being first,” a statement on the website read.

Augustine Casino also announced it would close as of 9 p.m. Sunday.

Unlike the other closures, Augustine did not mention a specific timetable, instead instructing patrons to check Augustine’s website and social media channels for updates about reopening. “The decision to re-open the casino’s operations will be made at the discretion of the Augustine Tribe and the casino’s executive team,” the release said.

Casino Pauma also instructed patrons to look at the casino’s website and social channels not only for reopening information, but also for promotions and offers.

Popular attraction

Despite San Manuel’s impending closure on Sunday evening, plenty of cars still traveled up Victoria Avenue headed to San Manuel that morning. The streets were lined with electronic signs alerting patrons that the casino would be closing later that day.

By 5 p.m., when the casino was officially starting to close, roughly a couple hundred people could be seen walking out, but they were only a portion of the people inside. Casino officials estimated that it would take several hours for the casino to be cleared out completely. After 5 p.m. the street entrance going into the casino had been blocked off and guests were being turned away.

While some casinos announced and executed their closures, others seemed to indicate that they would do the opposite. Valley View Casino & Hotel in Valley Center posted on its Facebook page shortly after 11 a.m. Sunday that the casino “will remain open 24/7.” The post encouraged guests to keep checking the Facebook page for any official updates.

Other casinos on tribal land within the region have not made any announcements about closing or staying open, including Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs, Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, Cahuilla Casino, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, Pala Casino, Spa & Resort, Soboba Casino Resort, Spotlight 29 Casino and Tortoise Rock Casino. The Southern California News Group has reached out to those casinos for comment.

Staff writers Vanessa Franko and Will Lester contributed to this report.

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