Nevada casinos greenlighted to reopen June 4

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Tuesday night that he would allow casinos to reopen June 4.

"We welcome the visitors from across the country to come here, to have a good time, no different than they did previously, but we're gonna be cautious," Sisolak told reporters in a telephone news conference from the governor’s mansion in Carson City, where he is in quarantine after potential exposure to the novel coronavirus, Los Angeles Times reports. “We’ve taken every precaution possible. I don’t think you’re going to find a safer place to come than Las Vegas.”

The green light came after a day of consultations among resort operators, health experts and the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which regulates the casinos. Sisolak sought reassurances from board members that safety measures could be in place by June 4 before he would approve the reopening.

Last week, I set a target reopening date of Thursday, June 4, for our gaming industry. Based on the meeting today and the positive trends in our data, I have informed the Chair of the Gaming Control Board that I feel confident in the June 4th target date.

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) May 27, 2020

Nearly one-third of the 35 or so resorts in Las Vegas Strip prepare to welcome guests next week. Caesars Palace and Flamingo, two of Caesars Entertainment’s 11 resorts on or near the Strip, are set to open June 4. Once the number of visitors can sustain growth, Harrah’s and the casino at the Linq resort will reopen, although no timetable has been set. Parts of the Linq Promenade, including the High Roller observation wheel, also will welcome guests starting June 4.

Wynn Las Vegas, which includes Encore, is also set to open June 4. Wynn’s Allegro, Jardin, Lakeside, Mizumi and SW Steakhouse restaurants will reopen Friday. Reservations are required.

The Venetian, which includes Palazzo, is likely to open June 4. “We’ve been working hard for opening whenever the governor and our regulatory body say it’s OK to reopen,” said Ron Reese, senior vice president of global communications for Las Vegas Sands, the Venetian’s parent company. “We’ve been working at that for weeks,” Reese said ahead of the governor’s announcement.

The websites of the Cosmopolitan, Sahara, the Strat and Treasure Island, run by smaller gaming organizations, are accepting reservations beginning the night of June 4. Most hotel-casinos will be waiving charges for self-parking. Because of health concerns, valet parking won’t immediately be available.

Guests’ temperatures will be checked at entrances to many resorts. Although face masks will be required for all employees, they are “encouraged” for visitors. Smokers can light up in public spaces, including casinos. Hand sanitizers will be available.

Just after they reopen, many bars, restaurants and shops will still be closed. Just as with the resorts themselves, visitor volume will dictate when each establishment will relaunch. “How much we reopen and how many amenities we introduce is really a function of how much demand there is for the business,” said Sean McBurney, general manager of Caesars Palace. “But we have to have a fun environment.”

Sisolak said that if COVID-19 cases spike in the run-up to June 4, he is prepared to “pull back” from the scheduled reopening. “The only sure thing we can do is have a vaccine,” he said. “And until we have a vaccine, we have to focus on our technology intervening quickly if there’s a problem. I’m confident Las Vegas is a safe place to come. And visitors are going to have a great time.”

Gaming Control Board discusses recommendations to reopen casinos

Ahead of Gov. Sisolak press conference, the Nevada Gaming Control Board discussed safety details for the reopening of casinos in a conference call. 

NGCB Chairwoman Sandra Douglass Morgan said that the Board will issue clear directives to the state’s 290 nonrestricted licensees no later than Wednesday. She said that the details of casino reopening plans are not public documents —which casinos will open and under what terms will not be known until an NGCB ruling has been made.

University Medical Center (UMC)’s recommendations for casinos included offering masks and checking temperatures of guests. At a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, the guest would be allowed 15 minutes to rest before being rechecked, FOX5 reports.

If they are still above the threshold, the guest would be taken to a secondary screening room. They recommended gaming properties to have a designated area for screening where they would have basic vitals measured. They also recommended the property consult with telehealth or have a medical provider available. 

Test results would be available to the patient, and with the patient's consent, to the property as well, they said. Non-urgent transport would be available to the nearest ER for testing. UMC said 10 properties agreed to accept positive guests for lodging but could not yet release names of those properties. 

Other discussions by health officials include casino employees getting tested for COVID-19 every two weeks and guests being given "COVID-19 prevention cards" with basic information on the disease. Casino employees are already required to wear masks whenever casinos reopen.

Dr. Fermin Leguen of Southern Nevada Health District said that Plexiglass or barriers of any kind "decrease the need for social distancing" at machines and tables where they are available as they "decrease the possibility of transmission." He recommended properties clean high-touch surfaces frequently. 

As for smoking in casinos, officials on the conference call said anything relating to a ban in casinos would have to be first considered by the Nevada Legislature. Douglass Morgan said there is no legal authority for the board to prevent smoking in casinos. The Legislature is not set to meet again until 2021.