This story was updated Friday morning, and will continue to be as more information becomes available.
As COVID-19 cases continue to drop in Michigan, MotorCity Casino Hotel & Sportsbook is lifting its mask mandate for vaccinated guests this week.
The step taken by MotorCity Casino was the first by the three Detroit retail casinos, which put the mask policy back into place in November of last year.
MGM Grand Detroit Casino & Sportsbook and Greektown Casino-Hotel & Sportsbook Lounge followed suit Thursday.
MotorCity Casino ends mask mandate at 8 a.m. Thursday
According to MotorCity Casino’s website, masks will no longer be required for guests who have been fully vaccinated starting at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 17.
Masks will still be required for guests who have not completed vaccination. There is no detail provided on if proof of vaccination will be required. Requests for clarification to PlayMichigan have not been immediately responded to.
This will end a mask requirement for vaccinated guests that has been in place since November. MotorCity Casino will still be instituting social distancing policies, as well as enhanced cleaning protocols.
MGM Grand, Greektown lift mandate Thursday
MGM Grand Detroit announced Thursday morning via its twitter account that it was also lifting the mandate for vaccinated guests.
MASK UPDATE: Vaccinated guests will no longer be required to wear masks. While we will not require proof of vaccination, we do ask that guests who have not been fully vaccinated continue wearing masks during their visit.
Greektown Casino posted an update later in the day.
Mask Policy Update: All vaccinated guests are no longer be required to wear a mask when visiting. All guests who are not fully vaccinated from COVID-19 must continue to wear a mask. We appreciate your efforts in keeping Greektown Casino-Hotel a safe place to visit!
New COVID cases down significantly
The change in mask policy is reflective of the drastic drop in new COVID-19 cases over recent weeks.
When the mask policy was put in place on Nov. 23, a total of 8,502 new cases were reported that day.
The latest report from the Michigan Health Department had an average of 1,793 new cases from Saturday-Monday (Feb. 12-14).
That’s a far cry from the peak of 20,346 new cases on Jan. 6 of this year.
Michigan’s 7-day average of new cases is below 3,000 for the first time since late September.
Wayne County currently has a 7-day average of 262 new cases. That’s down from 714 just a week prior.
