TAMPA, Fla. — Rep. Jackie Toledo is urging the Seminole Hard Rock Casino to close its doors to protect its employees.
Rep. Toledo (R-Tampa) has tweeted out that other Florida casinos have closed their doors amid coronavirus concerns. She is now urging the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa to do the same.
All local business taking proper precautions but @SHRTampa remains open 24/7.
Hard Rock is being Hard Headed.
— Jackie Toledo (@ToledoForTampa) March 17, 2020
Other FL Casinos shutting down and @SHRTampa still chooses to operate its floor 24/7. https://t.co/nNcfmR0bUE
— Jackie Toledo (@ToledoForTampa) March 17, 2020
"In a casino, patrons have to touch screens, they touch money, they touch chips, and they touch tables," Toledo said. "They are encouraging the spread of this virus. There is no reason in this war against an invisible enemy, the Seminole Hard Rock can’t keep its employees and patrons safe."
Several casinos in South Florida voluntarily closed their doors citing public health concerns and the virus.
A public relations firm for the casino sent ABC Action News a statement:
Seminole Hard Rock Tampa is working to safeguard the health and well-being of guests and team members by increasing social distancing, rescheduling shows and other mass gathering events, closing the poker room, cleaning and disinfecting all surfaces, making hand sanitizer available at more locations and giving team members the option to stay home and use paid time off, even if they have a zero balance of paid time off. More than half of all slot machines have been turned off to add significant distance between guests, plus the number of players allowed at table games has been reduced. And all of this has been accomplished while preserving the current income of the vast majority of team members.
The casino is on Seminole Tribal Land.
Toledo says Governor Ron DeSantis and the federal government would both have to take action to force the casino to close.