Gene Schulp, left, and Lori Scalzo, both of West Pittston, toast with their glasses of champagne after a countdown to noon on New Year’s Eve 2016 at the casino bar at Mohegan Sun Pocono in Plains Township. Mohegan Sun Pocono says it will stop serving alcoholic beverages on the gaming floor in the wake of new guidance issued by the state regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s latest order to businesses.
Temporary move by Mohegan Sun Pocono follows state guidance on Wolf’s latest order
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PLAINS TWP. — Mohegan Sun Pocono says it will stop serving alcoholic beverages on the gaming floor in the wake of new guidance issued by the state regarding Gov. Tom Wolf’s latest order to businesses.
The news comes after days in which many businesses were left dazed and confused by the suddenness of Wolf’s new mandate, and by what others called a lack of specifics for certain sectors, including casinos.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued a comprehensive FAQ document on Friday evening addressing Governor Wolf’s recent mitigation efforts. This FAQ provided clarity for several industries that were not referenced in the initial announcement,” Mohegan Sun President and General Manager Anthony Carlucci said.
“Based on this information, Mohegan Sun Pocono will be temporarily suspending alcoholic beverage service on the gaming floor to comply with Governor Wolf’s mitigation order,” Carlucci added. “Alcoholic beverages are still offered while dining in our restaurants.”
On Wednesday afternoon Wolf announced new regulations for bars and restaurants that serve alcohol — regulations that were to take effect less than 12 hours later, at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
Under those regulations, alcohol can only be served to diners eating at a table or booth — not at bars — and indoor occupancy is limited to 25% of stated fire-code maximum. Alcohol only can be served for on-premises consumption when in the same transaction as a meal.
Wolf’s move has prompted pushback from the restaurant and hospitality industry.
As the Associated Press has reported, representatives gathered at a news conference in suburban Harrisburg on Friday to discuss how the mandates have affected their businesses.
John Longstreet, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, said there is no public health difference between 50% capacity — the order to restaurants before Thursday — and the new 25% capacity order in preventing the spread of the virus.
“There will be no statistics to show that 25% makes sense because they don’t exist,” Longstreet told the AP. “The only the only thing that exists is that face-masking and social distancing works.”
Melissa Bova of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association said the organization is pushing a legislative agenda that includes grants of up to $50,000 for restaurant owners, liability protection and relief from regulatory fees, the AP added.