TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Casino Del Sol has confirmed that a norovirus outbreak caused the cancellation of a large convention over the weekend.
The Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention was set for March 20-23 at the casino. But on Saturday, Casino Del Sol canceled the rest of the event over “ongoing medical concerns.”
On Tuesday, the casino sent a release to 13 News and explained more about what happened.
“Casino Del Sol was informed that individuals attending a private event at our property were experiencing illness,” the casino said. “An individual associated with the event informed Casino Del Sol management that a guest of the group reported that she had norovirus and at least two attendees were already ill before arriving at the event. By Saturday, March 22, additional attendees, as well as a few Casino Del Sol team members, reported experiencing stomach flu-like symptoms.”
The Wild West Steampunk Convention issued a news release on Tuesday and said it had not received an official reason for the cancellation until Casino Del Sol issued its release to the media.
“It seems Casino Del Sol has put out a press release this evening confirming norovirus as the cause of their decision to close Wild Wild West Con,” the WWSC wrote. “We want to be clear that this is the first time we have been made aware of this development and it was provided to the press rather than to our staff or management.”
13 News went to the casino Saturday and saw no signs about the event on the property or near the conference center, where it was held.
The Pascua Yaqui Tribal Medical Authority and the casino said it “took immediate action to mitigate potential health risks.” The casino reported that the conference center, public restrooms and the rooms the ill guests were staying were deep cleaned.
Several people on social media complained about the short notice for the cancellation. The casino said vendors and attendees were told two hours ahead that they had to leave.
“This timeline was determined based on the need to swiftly clear the area so that cleaning and sanitization efforts could begin immediately,” the casino said. “While we recognize that this created challenges for some vendors, the health and safety of all guests and team members had to take priority in order to prevent potential further spread.”
Some people on social media also complained about the lack of information that was released during the weekend and the fact that the casino remained open.
“We understand that there has been a strong desire for immediate information, and we appreciate the patience of our guests and the public while we worked to verify details and ensure that the information we provided was accurate,” the casino said. “Our priority throughout this process has been the well-being of our guests, team members, and the greater community. By acting quickly, we were able to contain the situation and reduce the potential for further illness.”
Still others on social media called out the WWWSC for deleting a social media post made Saturday afternoon. The WWWSC said it did so “at the insistence of (Casino Del Sol) in an effort to maintain a working relationship during a difficult situation.”
The WWWSC said it asked Pima County about the incident and was told “the Pascua Yaqui Health Department is managing the outbreak.”
Entire Casino Del Sol Statement
Casino Del Sol was informed that individuals attending a private event at our property were experiencing illness. An individual associated with the event informed Casino Del Sol management that a guest of the group reported that she had norovirus and at least two attendees were already ill before arriving at the event. By Saturday, March 22, additional attendees, as well as a few Casino Del Sol team members, reported experiencing stomach flu-like symptoms.
In coordination with the Pascua Yaqui Tribal Medical Authority, Casino Del Sol took immediate action to mitigate potential health risks. Out of an abundance of caution, the decision was made to conclude the event early and begin a deep cleaning of the conference center. Additionally, all hotel rooms that housed event guests were placed on hold to undergo a deep cleaning and sanitization process, in line with our already rigorous cleaning protocols.
Vendors and attendees were given two hours’ notice to vacate the event space. This timeline was determined based on the need to swiftly clear the area so that cleaning and sanitization efforts could begin immediately. While we recognize that this created challenges for some vendors, the health and safety of all guests and team members had to take priority in order to prevent potential further spread.
Some hotel guests experienced a disruption to their stay, while others did not. This was based on the origin of the reported illness. As an added precaution, all occupied hotel rooms and public restrooms underwent an enhanced deep-cleaning and sanitization process in addition to the hotel’s already robust and comprehensive cleaning procedures for every room. Guests who were not affiliated with the event were not impacted by this precautionary measure.
We understand that there has been a strong desire for immediate information, and we appreciate the patience of our guests and the public while we worked to verify details and ensure that the information we provided was accurate. Our priority throughout this process has been the well-being of our guests, team members, and the greater community. By acting quickly, we were able to contain the situation and reduce the potential for further illness.
While we regret the circumstances that led to the early conclusion of the event, we stand by our commitment to upholding the highest health and safety standards. We remain vigilant and prepared to take any necessary steps to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all who visit Casino Del Sol.
Entire Wild Wild West Steampunk Convention Statement
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