Desert Diamond Casino, run by the Tohono O'odham tribe, announced on Wednesday, March 18, that their two casinos would temporarily close. See the release below:

For Immediate Release

TOHONO O’ODHAM NATION TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND GAMING OPERATIONS

Action taken to Slow COVID‐19 Pandemic, Support Community Health
TUCSON, Ariz. ‐‐ Leaders of the Tohono O’odham Nation and the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise
(TOGE) have made the decision to suspend their gaming operations temporarily. All Desert Diamond Casino properties will close beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, 2020. As a responsible community partner, TOGE is taking this precautionary measure to assist public health efforts to slow the spread of the COVID‐19 coronavirus pandemic.

The closure will impact all four of the Nation’s Desert Diamond Casinos near Tucson, Sahuarita, Why, (Ajo) and the West Valley, in Glendale, AZ. Throughout this time, the Nation and TOGE will be
monitoring health updates and coordinating communications on new developments.
Tohono O’odham Nation Chairman Ned Norris, Jr. said “In this unprecedented time, it is our duty to protect the community and collective action is needed to slow this virus. We are all in this together and I am proud to be a part of the vital AZ Tribal Gaming community, which employs thousands of workers. I commend the other tribal casinos who are also making tough decisions for their own communities as well. It is in moments like these that our communities must rise to the challenge by relying on the shared values of compassion, collaboration, and generosity that have inspired us for generations.”

With direction from the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise Management Board of Directors Rudy
Prieto, CEO of the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, said “This action is being taken to protect the safety of our team members, guests, and the community. We will do everything we can to support our team members, including ensuring that they continue to be compensated during the planned closure. It is important that we all do our part in this uncertain time and we want to thank our guests and Desert Diamond family for their patience and understanding.”
Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment, with three locations in Southern Arizona (Tucson, Sahuarita, and Why) and one in the West Valley in Glendale, AZ, is owned and operated by the Tohono O’odham Gaming Enterprise, an enterprise of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Additional information can be found at www.ddcaz.com or by calling 866‐DDC‐WINS. Follow Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment on Twitter (@DiamondCasinos), Facebook (@DDCAZ), and Instagram (@DiamondCasinos).

Casino del Sol and Casino of the Sun, both run by the Pascua Yaqui tribe, temporarily closed yesterday.

"We believe a temporary closure is the right thing to do in order to help reduce the impact of the virus in our community," CEO Kimberly van Amburg said in a letter.

Amburg's full letter after the jump.

Dear valued guests,

As we continue to navigate the evolving situation surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Casino Del Sol have made the decision to temporarily close both Casino Del Sol and Casino of the Sun beginning Wednesday, March 18 at 5:00 p.m. through Monday, April 13 at 8:00 a.m. This closure will include Casino Del Sol, Casino of the Sun, the Resort, Estrella at Casino Del Sol, AVA Amphitheater and Sewailo Golf Club.

We are taking these steps because our priority is our community – our team members, our guests, and the wider community of Tucson and the entire State of Arizona. We believe a temporary closure is the right thing to do in order to help reduce the impact of the virus in our community.

During this time Casino Del Sol will compensate our team members without requiring them to use their paid time off. We are recommending to team members that while the properties are closed, they should follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and public health experts regarding social distancing and avoiding crowds, keeping in mind that that guidance may also change and evolve over time.

The Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Casino Del Sol will continue to closely monitor the situation and will keep you updated on our plans moving forward, should they change.

We appreciate your support, and we appreciate you. We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.

Sincerely,
Kimberly Van Amburg
Chief Executive Officer
Casino Del Sol