Lakeside Inn first Lake Tahoe casino to close

STATELINE, Nev. - Lakeside Inn in Stateline, Nevada became the first South Shore casino to close due to coronavirus COVID-19 concerns.

"This decision was based on concern for the health of our community and of our staff members," said Lakeside Inn President Stacy Noyes. "We decided to take the lead and help our family. It's the responsible thing to do."

All employees not working will get two weeks of pay. Noyes said the situation and decisions are evolving daily and the initial plan is to close for two weeks.

The casino and hotel closed down Tuesday and the casino cage will remain open until 5:00 p.m. Thursday so customers can redeem any chips or tickets they may have.

"Clearly we don't want to close, but this coronavirus pandemic is no joke. We're doing our part by taking this step to stop the current spread and keep our guests, staff, and community safe," Lakeside said in a Facebook post.

Several casinos in Las Vegas have announced their closures as have Red Hawk and Thunder Valley in the California foothills.