MAY 26, 2020
RECENT ONLINE NEWS ARTICLES
Our Guests and Team Members are eager to come back to The Best Days. The information provided in recent news articles read as though Gun Lake Casino will open as early as May 29. WE WILL NOT BE OPEN ON MAY 29.
Very soon we will announce our plans and dates, and in preparation for our reopening we have worked conscientiously to put extra safeguards and measures in place to ensure your continued health and safety.
Thank you for your patience – we will share more information in the very near future.
APRIL 7, 2020
GUN LAKE CASINO EXTENDS CLOSURE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
The top priority for Gun Lake Casino remains the health and safety of our guests and team members - and the best interest of this community is at the core of every thought-out decision made.
“We have been working quickly to adapt to the growing Coronavirus pandemic. It is important for us to remain in touch with our guests, team members, and our entire community, especially now during these uncertain times. To prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have made the decision to support Governor Whitmer’s original directive and extend our voluntary short-term closure until further notice,” said Sal Semola, president and chief operating officer for Gun Lake Casino. “We will be placing certain team member groups on a short-term furlough to navigate through the financial impact caused by the pandemic. Additionally, we will be temporarily reducing the base salary of key members of management and the entire executive team. Gun Lake Casino team members are family and this was a very difficult decision.”
Gun Lake Casino was also the first casino in the state to provide full compensation and benefits to team members for one month during the short-term closure – a tremendous display of compassion and generosity by the Gun Lake Tribal Gaming Authority and commitment to our team members.
Gun Lake Casino will continue to monitor this situation closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Michigan Department for Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
All casino events, including promotions, free play offers, and dining offers are postponed and Gun Lake Casino will reopen to provide the ultimate entertainment experience in West Michigan as soon as it is safe.
All updates regarding Gun Lake Casino’s schedule to reopen will be posted on this page and on our social media accounts.
MARCH 23, 2020
GUN LAKE CASINO increases food donations to nearly 7 tons.
4 tons of food were donated to Exodus Place, bringing the total amount to nearly 7 tons.
The extension of our voluntary closure until April 13 resulted in additional fresh food donations to our local community. Today, Gun Lake Casino Team Members bundled and loaded over 4 tons of nutritious food for Exodus Place, a local non-profit in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The donated food will be used to feed those in the Grand Rapids Area who have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
This donation, combined with another recent donation of 2.75 tons, brings the total food donation to nearly 7 tons. The previous donation was split between Dégagé Ministries, Feeding America West Michigan, Hand2Hand and Exodus Place.
MARCH 20, 2020
Extension of Closure at Gun Lake Casino for the Health and Safety of Guests and Team Members.
Team Members to continue receiving full compensation.
To protect the wellbeing of all Gun Lake Casino Guests and Team Members, the voluntary short-term closure, originally scheduled to end on March 30, 2020, has been extended until April 13, 2020. Gun Lake Casino Team Members will continue to receive full compensation. All casino events, including promotions, FREE bet offers, FREE Slot Play offers and dining offers are cancelled.
“In the midst of this worldwide crisis, the Gun Lake Tribal Gaming Authority along with Gun Lake Casino management have been working diligently to uphold our commitment to our Team Members and the community,” said Sal Semola, president and chief operating officer for Gun Lake Casino. “We truly look forward to continuing to provide the ultimate entertainment experience in West Michigan, and we will do so as soon as it is safe. For now, our priority focus is to continue to take care of our Team Members, providing our Guests with vital updates and monitoring this sensitive situation.”
During this unpredictable time, Gun Lake Casino has made a strong commitment to ensure every Team Member has access to many benefits and compensation. All Team Members were fully compensated for the initial closure from March 16, 2020, through March 30, 2020. In an unprecedented move, and a show of dedication to being a premier employer in West Michigan, all Team Members will continue to receive these same benefits and compensation through April 13, 2020, totaling four weeks of benefits.
In addition to full compensation, Team Members are provided with health care benefits and access to the Gun Lake Tribal Health Center, located in the Gun Lake Tribe Government Campus across from Gun Lake Casino.
Gun Lake Casino will continue to monitor this situation closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Michigan Department for Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
MARCH 18, 2020
Gun Lake Casino’s Short-Term Closure Provides Food Assistance during Coronavirus Pandemic
Gun Lake Casino recently announced a voluntary short-term closure through March 30, 2020. This closure resulted in an excess of fresh ingredients in Gun Lake Casino’s coolers. The large supply of food was donated to local organizations in West Michigan to combat hunger as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
GLC Team Members came together on Monday, March 16, and Tuesday, March 17, to package, load and transport over 2.75 tons of food to support and assist those impacted by the recent coronavirus outbreak. Gun Lake Casino’s food supply was split between Dégagé Ministries, Feeding America West Michigan and Hand2Hand.
“Gun Lake Casino has always been committed to fighting issues surrounding hunger in our local communities,” said Sal Semola, president and chief operating officer for Gun Lake Casino. “We recognize this is a worrisome time for all, especially for the families who may be unable to afford food. In this great time of need, Gun Lake Casino is proud to donate and lessen the effects of this worldwide crisis.”
Since in 2011, Gun Lake Casino has been an avid supporter of Dégagé Ministries. Dégagé Ministries provides nutritious meals to hundreds of vulnerable individuals in the Grand Rapids area on a daily basis. Gun Lake Casino delivered and filled Dégagé’s storage spaces to capacity with fresh foods and fully prepared meals.
In response to the school closures and food insecurity of children in our local communities, Gun Lake Casino has partnered with Hand2Hand. Gallons of milk and yogurt and a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits were loaded and will be given to hungry children. Hand2Hand serves over 7,500 students in eight counties in West Michigan.
Feeding America West Michigan was provided with cases of dairy products, eggs, fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits. This organization plans to distribute the donated food to local food assistance organizations in multiple counties within West Michigan.
Gun Lake Casino is committed to improving the quality of life in the community in which it serves.
MARCH 17, 2020
PROMOTION AND OFFER UPDATE
Due to the voluntary closure of Gun Lake Casino to protect the health and safety of our Guests and Team Members that began Monday, March 16, 2020, at 3AM, all casino events, including promotions, FREE bet offers, FREE Slot Play offers and dining offers for March, were canceled. For our lucky Guests that earned tickets during the $100,000 Golden Ticket Giveaway, we are asking you to retain your physical Golden Ticket Grand Prize entries or your printed vouchers for entries. Our plan is for the tickets and vouchers to be used as entries for a future event. Continued communication will be sent to Guests when details become available.
For now, we are taking measures to keep everyone safe and will continue to monitor the situation closely. We can't wait to see you soon.
MARCH 14, 2020
SHORT TERM CLOSURE ANNOUNCEMENT
In a caring effort to protect the health and safety of all Gun Lake Casino Guests and Team Members, we are proceeding with a voluntary short-term closure of Gun Lake Casino, beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020 at 3AM and extending through Monday, March 30, 2020 at 9AM. No cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) have been reported at Gun Lake Casino and this closure supports Governor Whitmer’s recent directive. In the best interest of the Gun Lake Casino community, all casino events, including promotions, are cancelled during this period.
Gun Lake Casino will be utilizing this time to conduct an extensive and rigorous deep-clean of the entire facility. All public and administrative areas will be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected using advanced hospital-grade procedures and solutions. Protecting the health and safety of our Guests and Team Members is of utmost importance and our main priority. While there is no requirement to close, we believe in doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
All updates regarding Gun Lake Casino’s schedule to reopen will be posted on the Gun Lake Casino website and on our Facebook page.
