After a month of closed casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, casino owners are putting pressure on Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak to reopen the casinos in early May. Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox called on the governor for an early reopening while promising extensive safety measures when it happens.
Nevada Hit Hardest
While Gov. Sisolak ordered all Nevada casinos closed from March 18 to the end of May, Wynn’s Matt Maddox pushed for an early-to-mid May reopening. He stressed Nevada’s dependence on casinos for tax revenue and jobs as the reason to reopen sooner than planned.
“Nevada will likely be one of the hardest-hit states in the nation and suffer very high unemployment,” Maddox said. “It is imperative to flatten this curve so we can re-emerge in a safe, sustainable way.”
After corona cases rapidly grew in the U.S., Gov. Sisolak extended the casino closures until April 30, later extended to the end of May. Financial analysts estimated that casinos continue to have a burn rate of between $1.7m and $14.4m per day during the shutdown.
And some of the smaller casinos aren’t surviving the closures at all.
Safety During Reopening
Maddox commended the governor’s decision to protect public safety by ordering casinos to close. The millions of visitors passing through them were a major catalyst for spreading the disease, hence the closure.
But now Maddox is calling for the reopening of casinos with strict safety measures in place. The company explained these safety measures in a press conference.
In order for guests and employees to remain safe during the reopening process, thermal cameras will be used at casino entrances. Anyone showing a temperature over 100 degrees will be tested in a private area and asked to leave if they are sick.
During the reopening phase, guests will also be advised to stand at least 6 feet apart as a social distancing measure. The casino will also spread out restaurant tables and slot machines in order to enforce a safe distance between patrons.
Everyone entering the resorts will be required to wear a mask and given one at the entrance. Hand sanitizer will be made available throughout the resort as well. Clear safety reminders will be posted everywhere.
The governor is being cautious and slowly reopening businesses across Nevada. Current statisitics record nearly 4,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 155 deaths in Nevada alone. The U.S. Currently has the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases with over 730,000 infected and nearly 40,000 deaths.
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