Long Lines As Hard Rock Hotel And Casino Sacramento Reopens Amid Pandemic

WHEATLAND (CBS13) – Thousands of people decided to try their luck at the new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino at Fire Mountain, which reopened Thursday amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Crowds cheered as the casino's doors opened an hour early after spending some time closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hard Rock initially opened last fall.

"It's two months. I am glad to be back enjoying life," one guest said.

Some people like Linda Clark were waiting in line since before dawn just to get in the door first.

"Very excited. We have been waiting for a long time," Clark said.

Clark said she went to the new casino every week with a friend, both of Sacramento, before it closed.

"It's new. It's exciting," Clark said. "It's Hard Rock, so you can party."

Clark's friend Roberta Waites said she wins there all the time.

People came to the casino's reopening from all over. Regina James drove from Oakland.

"Came to get that money," James said with a laugh.

James said she didn't mind the new health and safety protocols, like hand sanitizer stations, six-feet social distance requirements between guests and mandatory masks.

"It's perfectly fine. Social distance is everything," James said. "As long as the money's clean it's all good."

The enthusiasm from the crowd was infectious.

"You betcha I'm lucky. I'm the only person standing in line that is thinking about winning," Pat O'Neil said.

Guests said they hope the 38-page plan the casino has put in place will prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"I am very curious to see what the buffet looks like," Waites said.

She'll have to wait a little longer to find out as the buffet is under renovation and is expected to open in a month.