Wynn becomes first Las Vegas casino cleared to run at 100% capacity

Wynn and Encore Las Vegas gaming areas will operate at 100% capacity, effective Monday, May 3.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board granted the increase, as 88% of Wynn Las Vegas’ employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

In addition, plexiglass will be removed from table games and slot machines. "Our employees and guests will continue to follow health and safety guidelines, including mask compliance, to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all,” Wynn said in a statement on Monday.

The Encore opened a vaccination site on the property back in January partnering with UMC. Now a little over 3 months later, nearly all of their employees have been vaccinated. “I think having a vaccination site on property actually did benefit them, you know sort of makes it easier for employees,” Gaming Historian David G. Schwartz with UNLV told FOX5.

Wynn employees are required to be vaccinated or take weekly COVID tests. Schwartz says Wynn’s gamble, pushing employees to vaccinate, paid off. “I think that this tells us that the demand is there you know. I don’t think the Wynn would have put this much effort into getting vaccinated to this extent and to getting reopening unless they knew there was customer demand,” Schwartz stated.

Schwartz maintains the Wynn being allowed to re-open at 100 percent capacity early is good news for the future of Vegas. While the Wynn reached that goal first, they certainly won’t be the last. “I think a lot of other properties will look at what Wynn did and try to take a page from the playbook and I’m sure they want to be there too,” Schwartz said.

With most Wynn employees vaccinated, the UMC Vaccination Center at the Encore will soon close (May 14th). The clinic will be moving near UMC’s hospital campus. UMC says their decision to relocate is also to make additional space available for the many conventions and meetings that are returning and support the local economy.