Grand Traverse Casinos Announce New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Grand Traverse Resort & Casinos is preparing for its New Year’s Eve celebrations – while implementing safety protocols aimed at ensuring a secure and enjoyable gaming experience – at its two facilities.

Both Turtle Creek Casino and Leelanau Sands Casino will have extended hours and feature various prize drawings and giveaways to celebrate the holiday.

At Turtle Creek, $20,000 in cash drawings will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 3 to 11 p.m. with 10 players each winning $2,000. Guests will get complimentary party favors and hear a live DJ starting at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. There will also be $300 e-credit drawings from 12:30 a.m.-3:30 a.m. on Jan. 1.

For the holidays, Turtle Creek’s gaming floor will be open for 24 hours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday with table games open from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. The Onyx Sportsbook will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Leelanau Sands Casino will extend its New Year’s Eve hours to 4 a.m. and will have $20,021 in cash drawings beginning at 7 p.m. There will also be a live DJ and complimentary party favors starting at 9 p.m., and $2,100 in e-credit drawings will take place from 12:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 1. Leelanau Sands Casino will also have $21,000 in cash drawings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. where 14 players will win $500 each.

Table games at Leelanau will be open for extended play on New Year’s Even from 2 p.m. to 4 a.m. Gift shop hours have also been adjusted, starting at 10 a.m. and closing at 3 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Both Leelanau Sands and Turtle Creek will return to reduced hours beginning on Sunday night at the 10 p.m. closing. From Sunday through Thursday, the casinos will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m, and for Fridays and Saturdays, their hours will adjust to 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Safety protocols in place at each casino

To ensure a safe gaming environment, Grand Traverse Casinos will accommodate social distancing with a 500-person capacity limit. Guests must enter through the hotel entrance on New Year’s Eve from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m. with shuttle service available and a coat check in the Grand Ballroom. Hotel guests will receive a badge for priority access to the gaming floor.

COVID-19 safety protocols at both casinos include:

• Mandatory temperature screenings
• Properly worn and approved masks (gaitors, bandanas, masks with valves are not permitted)
• Capacity limitations and social distancing of all gaming machines and tables
• Continuous and deep cleaning sanitization
• Installation of plexi-shields in close contact areas
• Hand-sanitizing stations
• Indoor smoking restrictions
• Temporary closure of valet services, buffet dining and self-serve beverage areas