No Official Timeframe for Reopening of Caesars Windsor

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After being shut down a year ago due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is still no indication when Caesars Windsor will be reopening for business again.

With many businesses across Ontario restarting their operations, employees at Caesars Windsor have raised concerns that their employer is still closed for business. Windsor’s largest casino shut its doors in March 2020 and, despite brief periods of activity, has not fully reopened since then.  Caesars is one of the key attractions in Windsor for both locals and tourists, and its temporary closure has reflected negatively on the local economy.

Unclear Future for Caesars Windsor

Caesars Windsor employs thousands of locals, and its closing has been devastating for the local workforce.  Unions have been doing their best to support unionised workers, although their hands remain tied because of the current circumstances.  Currently, the leading labour union, Unifor Local 444, represents 2,200 casino employees, which is a sharp decline from 2,700 at the start of the pandemic.

According to the local Unemployed Help Centre, the majority of employees are currently looking for employment elsewhere. The casino presently has a handful of active employees who are in charge of maintenance and security.

According to Scott Jenkins, the public relations director at Caesars Windsor, the casino expects to reopen once Windsor moves into the orange-tier on the government’s pandemic scale.  Currently, the casino can run with a ten-person capacity, which is economically unfeasible for Caesars.

Windsor has recorded a considerable budget deficit of CA$19 million for the previous financial year, mainly because the average contributions from Caesars, which amount to about CA$11 million annually, have all but dried up.

Subsidised Retirement Options

Recently, Caesars Windsor offered bigger retirement bonuses to all senior workers.  The new enhanced bonuses differentiate based on employee experience and are meant for all workers who are 60 years and older this year.

Brief Reopening

Caesars Windsor reopened on 8 October 2020, albeit for a very brief period.  The casino sent out invites to its exclusive guests at the time, offering them a limited selection of games.  The facility operated under a 50-person capacity and all visitors had to register online to attend.

Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

Bojan Lipovic - Digital Project Manager

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