Look Inside Vegas Casino Post-COVID 19
A couple of weeks ago the Nevada Gaming Control Board released their requirements for casinos to reopen. Among them were a number of social distancing guidelines along with a mandate that casinos develop and submit a COVID-19 action plan at least a week before they plan to reopen.
And for the most part casinos have started the process of getting ready to open their doors. MGM Resorts International is the largest casino owner on the Strip and their Health & Safety Plan shows how their casinos will be different when guests are welcomed back.
New sanitizer stations and sinks are being added to casino floors while physical distancing will be enforced by taking half of the slot machines offline and limiting spots at table games. A tremendous amount of additional cleaning and sanitizing will be done by employees as well.
What the New Vegas Will Look Like
Many other Las Vegas casinos have announced similar measures. We have even seen what the “new normal” will look like as pictures of altered casinos have started to make their way onto social media. Here are some eye opening shots from inside El Cortez which is located in Downtown Las Vegas.
New reality for those visiting Las Vegas when the casinos reopen. These are pictures from the El Cortez and show blackjack tables that have been installed with plexiglass barriers two separate players and the dealer. Barriers also in between slot machines & markings on the floor. pic.twitter.com/84ahPnRGv6
— Richard Southern (@richard680news) May 14, 2020
You can see they have installed barriers between slot machines and at their table games. I’m not going to lie, it doesn’t look very fun. With that said, we have to start somewhere given so many people depend on the Las Vegas casinos for their livelihood.
Vegas Not Ready to Reopen Yet
Nevada has started to open non-essential businesses in a Phase 1 opening of the state, however the Governor has indicated it’s not time for Phase 2 yet. With that said, the casinos will be allowed to reopen when the Nevada Gaming Control Board says so. Governor Sisolak has given them that power, although he also has to agree as well.
As of the time of this publishing the Gaming Control Board has not given a date when casinos can reopen. This is the statement on their website, “In conjunction with state and local health officials, the Board will continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and its effect on the resumption of gaming operations, and will issue further notices as appropriate.”
Look Inside Vegas Casino – Bottom Line
Las Vegas casinos are busy installing barriers, turning off slot machines, building sinks, stockpiling masks and most importantly trying to do what they can to keep guests safe. With many casinos taking reservations for Memorial Day weekend, the expectation is that we’ll see a Vegas reopening date soon, but we aren’t quite there yet.
Lower Spend - Chase Ink Business Preferred® 100K!
Chase Ink Business Preferred® is a powerful card that earns 3X Ultimate Rewards points in a broad range of business categories on the first $150K in spend per year. Right now earn 100K Chase Ultimate Rewards points after Learn more about this card and its features!
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Health and safety I love you vegas …thank you for thinking of the public health and life. I will be back
I am like the the above person personal involvement is the main reason I go To Vegas without that it takes the fun for me away. I to hope this changes very quickly!
I love to gamble – esp in Vegas – but half the joy is socializing and meeting people from all over the world at the tables – this setup is only for hardcore ppl that have to gamble. Not sure I will be returning there until it is back to normal – or more normal than being in the Get Smart Cone of Silence (showing my age with that one !!)