COVID-19 has done the worst it could do for the U.S. With many people losing their lives to the disease; there has been a question of survival among businesses as well. A struggling economy with public health at risk is a no-good sign for any government. However, the best is being done to bring things back to normal.
Moving in the same direction, the San Jose City Council has proposed additional measures favoring businesses in the area as part of the San Jose Al Fresco initiative. The initiative is an effort to help local businesses and revive the economy.
After being shut down for more than 6 months due to the pandemic, there is a sigh of relief for casinos in San Jose, California, as they have been allowed to operate outdoors.
But the Council did not stop here and allowed some other businesses, including retail and personal service businesses, to reopen on sidewalks or parklets.
Under this proposal, Casino M8trix and Bay 101 will be able to operate from their private parking lots with public safety protocols in place.
The motive behind permitting casinos to resume operations is to generate more tax revenue needed to run the city. Also, a ballot measure was approved by the Council last month to increase taxes on casinos to 16.5 percent from the earlier 15 percent.
This was affirmed by Raul Peralez, San Jose Councilmember, who said that casinos bring in million for San Jose in tax revenue. But since the outbreak, there has been a substantial decline in it, he added.
Casino M8trix’s vice president Robert Lindo expressed his excitement over the Council’s decision, saying they are ready to welcome and entertain their customers in a safe outdoor environment.
Ron Werner, vice president of Bay 101, assured that they would adhere to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) health safety guidelines and social distancing norms at their casino.
Among other CDC guidelines are the installation of sneeze shields between card dealers and players, no dining at tables, a limited number of players, regular sanitization, and mandatory face mask wearing.
The businesses can restart their operations by going through a free application or registration process and after getting written approval from the city administration. However, it should be noted that outdoor permits will expire on December 31, 2020.
