GREEN BAY, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) — The line outside the Oneida Casino started forming around 7 a.m. Tuesday, an hour before the doors were set to open and welcome guests back onto the gaming floor. 

For the past two months, Oneida and other gaming operations around the state were shutdown by the coronavirus pandemic. Several casinos are re-opening this week, but with safety changes. The Oneida Casio requires guests to wear masks. There are no table games and not all slot machines area available to provide space for proper social distancing. Temperatures are taken as patrons enter the casino and large containers of hand sanitizer are found throughout the gaming area. These changes are welcomed by people like Linda Peissig of Pewaukee, who made the trip to Green Bay with her dad.

“The reason we decided to come is because Oneida made it very clear on the website of what they were planning to do,” she said. “We felt comfortable they already had a great plan of action in place.” 

This is the first phase of a Oneida’s reopening. It expects additional protective measures to be put in place in the coming weeks.

“I would hope all of our customers adhere to all the rules, it’s a big change,” said General Manager Louise Cornelius. “No smoking being one of them. And wearing a mask is huge. It’s for the protection of all our employees and our guests. We want everyone to be safe.”

Gaming operations are major source of revenue for the Oneida Nation and is used to fund services ranging from housing to education. It’s also a major employer for both the nation and the surrounding communities. The North Star Mohican Casino in Bowler reopened Tuesday and with Ho-Chunk Madison gaming  expected to open Wednesday. Cornelius said she wasn’t surprised to see a line of waiting guests Tuesday.

“It’s been over eight weeks since there’s been any type of entertainment provided to our guests, so here we are today,” she said.