Vegas Opening Night & Where Are the Masks
Vegas opening night has come and gone. Guests from across the country are now descending on Sin City for some fun despite the many changes the city has gone through due to the pandemic. I detailed my opening night check-in experience the other day plus how I hacked my opening night hotel room in previous posts. Check them out!
Very Few Masks & People Acting Normal
In my check-in post I commented about how I felt most people were wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Boy was I wrong! Over the next day I discovered that maybe 10% of people in the casino were wearing masks. In fact, as time went on it seemed like less and less people had them despite the casino providing them free of charge to anyone who wants one.
I want to be clear that I am not trying to shame anyone, but rather show what one should expect if they visit. Caesars Palace where I stayed for example makes wearing masks optional (except at tables), which means everyone without a mask was both following the rules and following local laws. For the record I wore a filtered mask which made me feel more comfortable.
What Are Other Vegas Casinos Like?
During my stay on the Strip I also visited Bellagio and Cosmo and noticed many of the same things. Very few masks, some social distancing and people trying to get back to normal. Bellagio has gone a little further than Caesars Palace with the installation of sanitising stations including full sinks, gloves and masks. Of course within a minute of spotting our first sanitiation station we spotted a lady stuffing handfuls of masks into her purse. Sigh.
A New Normal Has Come – Vegas Opening Night
Other than the social distancing and other preventative measures due to COVID-19, Vegas seemed fairly normal. People were drinking, smoking, laughing, gambling and having fun as you’ll see in the video. Admittedly social distancing will become more difficult as crowds grow (I’d describe opening night as slow but not dead), but I suspect we’ll figure it all out.
Now, come with me to the Caesars Palace casino floor at around 10pm on Vegas opening night as I walk through. Please give the video a thumbs up and consider subscribing to our YouTube channel if you like it! It helps a lot.
Vegas Opening Night – Bottom Line
Las Vegas is now open and people are coming from all over to drink, gamble and just get out of the house. While things aren’t quite back to normal, it’s nice that the Vegas experience is back, at least somewhat. My Vegas opening night experience was a little surreal to be honest, but it was nice to get out of the house.
What do you think? Are you comfortable going to Vegas and being indoors with people without masks? Is it just too soon for you? Do you miss the sights, sounds and action of Vegas? Share your opinion below and let’s try to leave politics out of it! 🙂
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[…] take the requirements of social distancing, mask-wearing and hand washing/sanitizing seriously. It looks like that might not be the case, as evidenced by Shawn from Miles to Memories who visited on Vegas’ re-opening night. This is […]
I have a booking for Caesars coming up next weekend that I think I’ll cancel because of the lack of masks. If there was a property that required them I would book there instead.
I think theres going to be a giant spike in Las Vegas. Covid is so problematic in a place like Las Vegas that thrives on gambling. I’m fine with people doing whatever they want pretty much, so go for it if you so opt. My biggest fear is we may end up overcrowding the hospitals, so if I need to go for something other than covid like an everyday accident, or need a regular health checkup, there is more exposure for me. Bottom line…I’m staying home, avoiding crowds, avoiding people as much as possible, and going to hit the open road and travel a lot.
George, I’d say that noone responding personally here is part of any media group playing up “crazy health theater”. It’s simple common sense and civic mindedness. You can believe that not wearing a mask may not put your health at risk, but the fact is it might. And it sure can put others around you at risk. Your saying otherwise does not change facts.
Similar to Orlando. Maybe 1 to 5% of people wearing masks. Zero social distancing. Here in central Florida we have flipped the corona switch off, and seems VEGAS has too.
J/J &J – You all sound like a bunch of cranky old people sitting on a porch yelling at the neighborhood kids to get off your lawn… ‘Back in my day sonny, we wore cotton masks to ward off the tuberculous…’
Get a grip. It’s a virus. Not a zombie apocalypse.
The nation could really use a lot less of your self righteous type trying to push your views on everyone.
We’re adults, we’re talking about Las Vegas for god’s sake. Sin City. It’s in the name….
Don’t want to have fun?
Don’t have fun.
But stop telling everyone else what they should do with their lives because you’re scared of life.
We’re all pretty sick and tired of this fascist mumbo jumbo.
Stop trying to force people to do what YOU want them to do. God, you think you would have gotten that message loud and clear the last week.
If everyone does not participate in wearing the masks, it does no good for anyone. So, surprised that casinos are not making it mandatory. But not surprised that people are ignoring it! This would be one of the reasons Vegas is not on our list anytime soon. Let them be the social experiment first.
That is why I don’t plan on going back to Vegas even though I have a lot of comps. Way too many people who DGAF about wearing masks or social distancing. Not worth the risk of getting sick later.
Agreed. Not worth dying for.
It’s funny to me in a city built around drinking, smoking, gambling, over eating and prostitution – that someone would focus on if people wearing a paper mask on their face was actually the biggest threat to anyone’s health.
Talking about not seeing the forrest for the trees.
For me, it’s very encouraging to see everyday Americans realizing and ignoring the crazy ‘health theater’ that the media plays up.
I guess most the American public isn’t as gullible as I feared. It’s very heartening.
Yup.
Pot, meet kettle. You won’t get it, but others will.
By the way, masks are proven to reduce spread. But my guess is you don’t want to hear any health professional who you’ll just accuse of being part of the media tell you facts.
Yeah. Just look at Sweden and Brazil.
I mean, casino visitors are non risk averse by definition so I understand the lack of masks. I won’t be going to a casino where they are not required, but I understand it. Also, as a non smoker I find it more comfortable to wear a mask anyway. The casinos might have gotten MORE safe in the long run.
Noir status rocks! I have been pakrking in front of the Bellagio since valet is closed.
Masks help to prevent virus transmission, especially in indoor areas with stagnant air. I’m disappointed that mask wear is not required, especially since the simple surgical masks are comfortable. I’m also surprised there were no temperature checks upon entry. I fear that these ineffectual and lazy measures will close Vegas again shortly.
I’m good with it. I went to another casino last week where everyone had to wear masks all the time and it was uncomfortable after a couple of hours. Even the CDC says masks which be worn inside when you can’t socially distance. I have no problem maintaining at least 6 feet from people so the absence of masks doesn’t concern me. You mention they are required at the tables but I saw pictures from Red Rock casino and some downtown where that isn’t the case. Again I am fine w that given the reduced capacity at the tables. We can’t count on a vaccine so people have to decide how to carry on w the threat of COVID. Many won’t go out but I will