Encore Boston Harbor celebrates end of COVID-19 restrictions

Encore Boston Harbor gathered a crowd on the casino floor just before Friday midnight and counted down, with staff and guests throwing their masks in the air.

2021-06-01

United States

Reading time 1:37 min

Wynn's casino held a countdown celebration on Friday midnight, just before the eased restriction became effective. For the state’s three casinos, also including MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park, visitors and staff are allowed to move about the properties without masks again, if they are fully vaccinated. The casinos may also reopen slot machines and positions at gambling tables that have been closed.

Wynn Resort's Encore Boston Harbor on Friday celebrated Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker's ease of COVID-19 restrictions gathering a crowd on the casino floor just before midnight and counting down, with staff and guests throwing their masks in the air.

“Time to expect more,” the company said in a post on social media accompanying a video. “More games. More freedom. More fun. That’s right – if you are fully vaccinated you can sip your drink, spin the wheel and move onto the next game without any worry!”

Time to expect more! More games. More freedom. More fun. That's right - if you are fully vaccinated you can sip your drink, spin the wheel and move on to the next game without any worry! pic.twitter.com/XeKVEdp4Kv
— Encore Boston Harbor (@EncoreResortBH) May 29, 2021

All industry COVID restrictions and gathering limits, including ones set based on capacity at businesses, lifted Saturday in Massachusetts.

“Thanks to the people in Massachusetts who’ve made enormous sacrifices over the course of the past year to get us to this point, brighter days are very much upon us,” Baker said at a press conference on Friday. “We’ve been battling the virus for too long, but today we have an opportunity to put an exclamation point on all the hard work that so many people have done.”

For the state’s three casinos - Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park - visitors and staff are allowed to move about the properties without masks again, if they are fully vaccinated. The casinos may also reopen slot machines and positions at gambling tables that have been closed.

The casinos will operate on an honor system regarding vaccination status for both customers and staff.

More than a year after Baker implemented a State of Emergency order, the state moved into a “new normal” phase of its reopening plan, encouraging residents to support their local restaurants, including favorite restaurants.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed an order rescinding the State of Emergency order from March 2020 on Friday. A modified declaration of a public health emergency was implemented in its place.