SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday praised a crackdown that has followed an early morning, crowded hotel suite party at Encore Boston Harbor, saying the event was “egregious” and a health hazard.
The party, involving more than 100 people gathered in a suite on Aug. 16, was a serious violation of COVID-19 regulations, and has been followed by increased measures to make sure such an incident never happens again, commission members and staff said during a commission meeting on Thursday.
Loretta Lillios, the gaming commission’s chief enforcement counsel, said “this kind of flouting of the safety measures is unacceptable” and has been dealt with by gaming enforcement staff and the hotel.
Cathy Judd-Stein, commission chairwoman, said that in times of the coronavirus pandemic, “the stakes are too high” for anything other than complete compliance with COVID-19 regulations set by the state and the commission.
What was most “egregious” was not just the exposure to those in the suite, but also to all the people in the hotel, Judd-Stein said.
Encore Boston Harbor reopened July 12, after that casino, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park Casino were closed for four months due to COVID-19.
Gaming Commission Interim Executive Director Karen Wells described how the suite guest and another room key holder ushered in people to the party in groups by elevator.
The party was discovered by a hotel butler shortly after midnight, and management was alerted and sought to end the party, Wells said. State police responded approximately 3 a.m., when there were more than 110 people found and cleared the party, officials said.
The guest was fined $500 under state law for exceeding the state limit of 25 people and was also charged with disorderly conduct, officials said.
Commission officials said the hotel, in response, has added a limit of no more than four people being allowed in a room, and no more than eight people being allowed in a suite.
That action has resulted in several cancellation of reservations, a sign that the policy is having an impact on protecting health and safety, officials said.
In addition, the hotel has stepped up security and training of employees to identify and prevent large gatherings, including added surveillance of elevator areas and lobbies, commission officials said.
The hotel staff is also being trained on communicating the room limit requirements to all guests, verbally and in writing, Lillios said.
The staff is also receiving increased training on looking for any “red flags” of potential large gatherings, Lillios said.
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August 27, 2020 at 10:55PM
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Mass. Gaming Commission lauds crackdown following Encore Boston Harbor hotel suite party - MassLive.com
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