MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle urges employees to get vaccinated "as soon as possible"

After MGM Resorts released a policy statement Tuesday requesting all its employees to present their vaccination certificates or pay a weekly $15 COVID-19 test, MGM Resorts International CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle made it clear that he wants his employees to get vaccinated, if they haven’t already. 

The new MGM policy mandates employees to provide proof of their vaccination status. If they have not yet been innoculated, they must undergo -and pay- COVID-19 weekly onsite testing. 

The company also announced that, if any of the non-vaccinated members of the staff were exposed to Covid, they must quarantine and will not perceive their salary during those days in lockdown. 

On Wednesday, MGM Resorts released an internal letter addressed to employees, in which Hornbuckle outlines the reasons for the policy. 

In his own words, MGM CEO sees the vaccine as a civic responsibility. He urged his employees to talk to their doctors if they are not sure.

“Our region’s low vaccination rate is putting us back on the path to overrun hospitals, unnecessary deaths, fewer tourists and possible furloughs and layoffs”, he described in his letter. “None of us want that. After the pain endured by so many these past 16 months - and the tremendous progress we made in 2021 - I can think of no more damaging scenario for us as a community”. 

Many casinos in the state are revisiting the possibility of resuming its indoor mask mandate beginning on Friday, after the CDC’s suggestion based on the area’s rise in Covid cases. The Clar County Commission greenlit that rule that only applied to employees during a meeting last week, but federal and state moves since then have made the rules apply to everyone. 

The full text of Hornbuckle’s letter to employees, dated Wednesday, July 28, appears below:

Dear Colleagues,

In accordance with a mandate issued Tuesday by the Governor, MGM Resorts will require all guests and visitors at our Las Vegas properties to wear masks in all indoor public areas, effective 12:01am PT on Friday, July 30. As I mentioned last week, Las Vegas is experiencing a rapid growth in COVID-19 case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths – the result of the emerging and fast-spreading delta variant, along with a low vaccination rate among residents here in Clark County.

This is another disheartening step backward when we should be focused on continuing our recovery. In addition to the heart-wrenching thought of more illness and death, I fear that progressively more restrictive measures, including a return to social distancing and capacity restrictions, could be around the corner if we continue on this path. This would be a significant blow to our community, industry and economy.

So please, get the vaccine as soon as possible. It is safe, and it is effective. If you’re still unsure, ask your doctor – the person you trust most to provide informed, professional medical advice regarding the health of you and your family. But please, do it as soon as possible.

Our region’s low vaccination rate is putting us back on the path to overrun hospitals, unnecessary deaths, fewer tourists, and possible furloughs and layoffs. None of us want that. After the pain endured by so many these past 16 months – and the tremendous progress made in 2021 – I can think of no more damaging scenario for us as a community.

I believe in the power and value of civic responsibility. I know that Las Vegas is a caring community and that, when things get tough, we’re capable of stepping up to meet the moment. We are in such a moment!

We have the tools to end this once and for all. But those tools are only effective if we all do our part to make use of them. Please, be part of the solution and get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Information about our current mask and testing policies, as well as today’s announcement, can be found here.

Stay safe and be well.