Ute Mountain Casino Hotel announced Monday that it will temporarily close hotel and casino operations because of its concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and to assist the Ute Mountain Ute tribe with its efforts to prevent spread of the virus.
ExxonMobil Ute Mountain Travel Centers in Towaoc and White Mesa, which operate under the Ute Mountain Casino Hotel, will remain open and continue to serve travelers and drivers on U.S. Highways 491 and 160.
The gaming facility and 90-room hotel, south of Cortez in Towaoc, will close at midnight Monday for the rest of December. The decision followed a recommendation from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal council, according to a news release Monday morning from the hotel, and will be revisited in January.
Employees of the Ute Mountain Casino Hotel will be furloughed with pay, the company said, and they will return to work when the property reopens.
“We will closely monitor what is happening at a state, regional and national level with regards to COVID-19 and its impact on our region, community and the economy. And, while it has been a difficult decision, without question, it is what is necessary to ensure the safety of the tribal community, guests and our team members,” General Manager Rick Scheer said in the news release. “Their safety, well-being and livelihood remain our top priority.
“We look forward to reopening at full-capacity and will continue to support our employees and local community during this time,” Scheer added.
Access to Ute Mountain Ute tribal lands has been highly restricted, and checkpoints remain in place. Variances to access tribal lands can be granted for some visitors, contractors, and tribal state and federal employees.
In mid-October, the tribal council increased its emergency status to Red – the highest of four levels – for the Towaoc and White Mesa reservation communities. The tribal council instituted a stay-at-home order and encouraged all members to practice social distancing and to limit travel to a 25-mile radius and for essential supplies and medical appointments. Group meetings were limited to 10 people.
On Nov. 30, Tribal Chairman Manuel Heart announced that since March, the tribe has had 187 positive cases of COVID-19 – 160 in Towaoc, 15 in White Mesa and 12 off-reservation. Three tribal members have died from the disease, he said, and 27 were in quarantine. He added that the tribe had 50 active cases of COVID-19 – 49 in Towaoc and one in White Mesa.
He encouraged tribal members to avoid meeting in large groups during the holidays and to follow testing, social distancing and quarantine guidelines.
Travel centers are openThe full-service ExxonMobil Travel Centers in Towaoc and White Mesa will remain open, with limited hours of operation from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The centers will practice social distancing and limit guests to 10 at a time, the news release said.
The Charlie Biggs restaurant will serve to-go orders only.
The travel centers also offer a trucker’s lounge, a laundry room, convenience store, Wi-Fi and fuel. They plan to offer complimentary coffee to all truck drivers.
“As we’ve seen through this difficult time, our truck drivers are essential in helping us move forward,” Scheer said in the press release. “They will be away from their families during the holidays and making sacrifices to ensure that our country has the necessary goods to function through this pandemic. Our Ute Mountain Travel Centers will remain open and continue to do what we can to ensure their comfort.”
For more information about Ute Mountain Casino Hotel, call 1-800-258-8007.
This article was republished on Dec. 7 to add that the Ute Mountain Casino Hotel plans to furlough employees with pay.