In Chester, West Virginia a smoking ban is about to take effect. In two days on July 1, 2015, the ban will be enforceable for all establishments, including casinos. The Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack, and Resort allowed local reporters into their new outdoor smoking pavilion to show they are ready for the air ordinance that will take place in Hancock County.
General Manager, Christ Kern stated they worked with the health board to ensure the casino is now compliant with the clean air act. The space is still in construction, but by Wednesday everything will be cleared, it will be open, and it will be usable.
The smoking pavilion is 10,000 square feet. It will have 200 slot machines and 6 table games. It offers a way for smokers to continue playing the games they love, in an open air facility. It is also a space set up for year-round use. Radiant heat will be used during the winter months and ceiling fans in summer help keeps the breeze going. If there is a storm or an extremely high wind the facility will be closed off with wind shears, but still allow gamblers to play.
Kern expects their guest numbers to rise, particularly for the smoking area as Ohio begins their smoking ban too.
Customers already travel from Ohio because smoking is completely banned anywhere in the state. Some of the casinos in Ohio do offer up to 30 games outside at most, but all told when the space is done the Mountaineer will have 210. Kern is confident there is no comparable space, which will increase patron numbers.
Resorts owners did try to fight the smoking ban and even tried to get casinos exempt from the new law. Both attempts were not successful. There is a possibility more casinos will open an outdoor area once they see how the Mountaineer does.