Wildhorse Resort & Casino Closed due to Coronavirus; First Indian Gaming Facility to be Closed

Published March 3, 2020

PENDLETON, Ore. — After one of its staff members was diagnosed with coronavirus, the Wildhorse Resort & Casino in Pendleton, Ore. has been temporarily closed as an act of caution to protect the general public.

The Wildhorse Resort & Casino is owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. It is the first American Indian casino impacted by the deadly virus that originated in China. 

As a precaution, the Confederated Tribes’ board of trustees ordered an Incident Command post established. The Incident Command will consist of staff from Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center and the Tribal Government. Many Confederated Tribes programs have been closed, including its community school, Head Start, daycare and senior center until fully sanitized. Tribal citizens and other interested parties should check the Confederated Tribes website for up to date information.

In addition, all community events on the Umatilla Indian Reservation are cancelled for the week of March 2 to 8, 2020. 

The Wildhorse Resort & Casino has the following message on its website as of Tuesday, March 3:

In an abundance of caution, Wildhorse Resort & Casino will close close immediately to complete a thorough and deep cleaning as a response to reports of a presumptive positive case of Covid-19. Updates will be posted at wildhorseresort.com regarding the reopening schedule. The closure includes the casino, convention center, hotel, Cineplex, Children’s Entertainment Center, and restaurants. All activities are cancelled including casino promotions and events until further notice.

Six people have died since Saturday in neighboring Washington state.