Most US commercial casinos that remain closed are located in Nevada

Thirteen Nevada casinos remain closed, one year after the state's commercial casinos were ordered to shut down due to the pandemic. While some are holding out for looser operating restrictions or more foot traffic, others have shuttered their doors permanently.

A spokeswoman for the American Gaming Association (AGA), which has been tracking casino closures on its website over the past year, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal a majority of the country’s closed commercial casinos are located in Nevada.  

The two Boyd Gaming Corp. properties have been shuttered since mid-March. Company executives had said in October that Main Street Station will “certainly” open in 2021, followed by Eastside Cannery, depending on demand. The company said that the reopenings will depend on business volumes, and expects to see better numbers by the second half of this year, according to spokesman David Strow.

Red Rock Resorts has yet to open Fiesta Rancho, Fiesta Henderson, Texas Station, Palms, and the potential reopening dates are still unclear. During an earnings call last month, CEO Frank Fertitta III said the company would be “very disciplined” when approaching reopening plans, and that the locals-oriented properties probably will reopen once older customers return. Palms would open when the city’s visitation rates return to pre-pandemic levels.

The Eldorado Casino in Henderson had yet to reopen when it was sold by Boyd Gaming Corp. to DeSimone Gaming in December. The property has been renamed The Pass Casino and plans to open April 1.

The Siegel Slots and Suites apartment complex has yet to reopen its casino. A front desk employee at the property said the casino had been sold to Dotty’s, but spokespeople for the gaming company did not return a phone call to confirm.

The 6,000-square-foot Cal-Nev-Ari Casino property is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the day but only because it also operates as a post office. The casino and attached restaurant remain closed because of operating restrictions at 35 percent capacity, according to owner Nancy Kidwell. She hopes to reopen the casino and bring back staff on April 1.

The Say When Casino in McDermitt has a pinned post from March on its Facebook page that says it will be closed “until further notice due to COVID-19.” 

Colorado Belle, the Golden Entertainment-owned casino in Laughlin, has yet to reopen after following state orders to close in March 2020. Brad Goldberg, senior vice president of marketing for Golden Entertainment, said the company has no plans to reopen the property at this time.

Harrah’s Reno permanently shut its doors on March 17 after 83 years in operation. Caesars Entertainment announced plans to sell the property to Las Vegas developer Chris Beavor, founder of CAI Investments, for $50 million in January 2020. Two months later, the property announced that it had closed for good.

Lakeside Inn and Casino has also been closed permanently due to the pandemic. It announced last year that it would not reopen after the statewide casino shutdown.