Mohegan Sun Pocono is seen in a file photo. Bartenders and servers were informed on Friday that they will be laid off effective next month, with the possibility of return in April.
Times Leader file photo
Click here to subscribe today or Login.
PLAINS TWP. — Amid continuing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, Mohegan Sun Pocono informed more than 200 furloughed staff members on Friday that they could be laid off effective next month.
“Mohegan Sun Pocono has come to the incredibly difficult decision to notify 240 team members that they will be transitioned off of furlough, should they not be called back to work prior to September 30th, 2020,” President and General Manager Anthony Carlucci said in a statement released Friday evening.
“The reduction in workforce is due to the sustained impacts being felt from the global pandemic on the gaming and entertainment industry,” he added. “No active team members who have already returned to work will be affected. We have no plans for further reductions and will work with our team members through this transition.”
A difficult year
The Plains Township gaming and entertainment complex temporarily closed all casino and resort operations on March 16 following an order from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board after Gov. Tom Wolf put the state into lockdown as a means of slowing spread of the deadly virus.
Mohegan Sun Pocono reopened June 22, when Luzerne County entered the state-designated green phase of coronavirus recovery.
As part of that reopening, all restaurants and bars were to have reduced seating to allow for physical distancing and VIP Lounges will have full service stations only.
In July, however, an uptick in coronavirus cases statewide led Wolf to impose more stringent restrictions on restaurants and bars. 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.
‘We wanted to avoid this’
“MSP reopened on June 22nd after temporary closing on March 16th and our hope was always to try and return all affected team members as we adapt and evolve in this new normal,” Carlucci added. “Unfortunately the overall impacts from this health crisis have required a significant scaling down of operations, of which will continue for the foreseeable future.
“A large impact comes from decreases in business volumes, some of which is mandated by the appropriate authorities in our state for health and safety purposes,” he said. “We really wanted to avoid this situation. Our Mohegan Sun Pocono family is and has always been a close-knit unit and certainly the most vital aspect of our success.”