Since reopening their doors after being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several Delaware North gaming properties have received positive attention from guests, media and industry experts.
New York gaming locations garner positive attention in reopening to patrons
All three of the gaming venues that Delaware North operates in New York state successfully reopened to eager patrons in September after a six-month shutdown due to COVID-19.
The reopening of the gaming venues came less than a week after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that they could reopen under operational requirements that include a capacity limit of 25% and no food and beverage service on the gaming floor.
Delaware North implemented its Play It Safe program, which had been in place at the gaming locations the company operates in other states where casinos reopened several months prior. Its guidelines include sanitizing protocols, mandatory mask wearing, social distancing, temperature checks and other measures.
The management teams and their associates at the three venues demonstrated the program’s guidelines to local media crews on hand to cover their reopenings.
“The safety protocols we have in place, our Play it Safe program, is all about enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures to keep our guests and our associates safe and healthy,” Steven Martin, senior director of marketing at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack near Rochester, told Spectrum News.
At Hamburg Gaming near Buffalo, Robert Puhalski, Delaware North’s general manager, told The Buffalo News that the Play It Safe program is a big part of making patrons feel good about being at the venue.
“We’ve reached out to our database to gauge their needs and wants about returning, and I think what we’ve provided will give everyone a real sense that this is a place where they’ll be comfortable,” Puhalski said. “I think we’re in good shape to get our loyal customers back.”
Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel, located in Islandia, N.Y., also reopened in September.
“If you get up from a machine, we are notified and then we clean it,” Jake’s 58 General Manager Chuck Kilroy told Newsday, in a video story that included patron Madeline Vespe saying it was good to be back at the casino and that she did not mind wearing a mask.
“Anything to be safe. We all have to do our part,” Vespe told Newsday.
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack garners gaming awards as Delaware North continues property upgrades
Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack in West Virginia was recognized as one of the best casino resorts among casinos with racetracks in the country by Casino Player Magazine, taking home three first place awards out of 21 total awards in the magazine’s 2020 Best of Gaming Awards.
The Delaware North-owned-and-operated gaming destination finished second this year for Best Overall Gaming Resort and topped the readers’ poll as Favorite Casino Resort to Vacation At, Best Table Game Tournaments and Best Craps. All awards are based on the magazine’s readers poll.
Wheeling Island also received 12 total second-place awards: Best Overall Gaming Resort, Best Hotel, Best Hotel Lobby, Best Hotel Staff, Best Rooms, Best Casino/Racino, Best Players Club, Best Table Games, Best Slot Tournaments, Best High-Limit Room, Best Non-Smoking Casino/Area and Best Video Poker. Wheeling Island’s six third-place awards were for Best VIP Services, Best Dealers, Best Roulette, Best Overall Sportsbook/Racebook, Best Betting Options and Best Prop Bets.
The awards come as Delaware North is continuing to enhance the Wheeling Island property and operations since reopening after closing in the wake of the global pandemic.
Wheeling Island reopened on June 5 with slots and without table games – but a project to move the 20 table games and relaunch them quickly followed and was completed in early July. The “pit” had been in the rear near the buffet, but to provide better visibility to patrons it was moved to the front of the casino near the new sportsbook, which reopened in early September.
Ruby Seven Studios, Delaware North’s free-to-play gaming group, wins prestigious award
Ruby Seven Studios, Delaware North’s free-to-play gaming group, was among the winners at this year’s Global Gaming Business (GGB) Gaming & Technology Awards, which were announced at the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) virtual G2E conference in October.
Ruby Seven’s Mystic Slots app and website won the Gaming and Technology Gold Award for Best Interactive Product.
The awards are the industry standard in the field, recognizing excellence in innovation and practical application in all gaming disciplines for more than 19 years.
Ruby Seven brings free-to-play casino games to land-based casino partners, including Delaware North, Mystic Lake Resort Casino, Pechanga Resort and Casino, Fantasy Springs Resort Casino and Lake of the Torches Casino.
The recent release in partnership with Mystic Lake Casino features all the fun of a land-based casino, coupled with the convenience of connecting with friends, competing for weekly jackpot leaderboards, and playing your favorite casino games, including Slots, Keno, Roulette, Blackjack, Bingo and Video Poker. Players can also earn Club M program points for purchasing virtual coins in the game redeemable for hotel stays, gift shop purchases, meals and more.
In less than a year since Mystic Slots launched, the app and website have had over 250,000 game installs and garnered a 4.8-star rating with over 6,000 reviews from happy players who love the game. The app consistently ranks among the top 200 casino app games within the App Store.
Mystic Slots is available via https://www.mysticslots.com/, Facebook, or by downloading from the Appstore on iOS or in the GooglePlay Store on Android.