The Isleta Casino and Resort in New Mexico reopened this week after being shut down for nearly three months by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Isleta Casino and Resort in Albuquerque reopened this week after being shut down a second time by COVID-19. (Image: VisitAlbuquerque.org)
In a statement posted on the sovereign nation’s Facebook page Tuesday, the Pueblo of Isleta Tribal Council voted unanimously to reopen the Albuquerque casino effective Wednesday. The council’s action, it said, came after a lengthy discussion and was based on a number of factors, including economic concerns.
We as the tribal government are faced with difficult decisions when it comes to a global pandemic, life safety, and the economy,” the statement read. “Although we cannot guarantee no one will get the virus at the casino, we feel with the direction from our Tribal Health Officer, the Isleta Casino and Resort’s safety plan, and the need to sustain our tribal programs and economy, transmission will be low, and we feel safe and confident to open the casino.”