Most Las Vegas casino operators said Friday the $2 trillion stimulus bill provides needed relief for the battered hospitality industry.
Casinos & Gaming
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Some industry associations say there could be improvements made to the bill, but overall the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
The Culinary and Bartenders unions reached out to members Thursday with a message of support in the wake of casino closures and layoffs related to the coronavirus pandemic.
On a typical late March evening, the Las Vegas Strip would be teeming with tourists hoping Lady Luck would smile on them. Not this year.
With casinos across the country temporarily shut down during the coronavirus crisis, operators are facing a period with zero income and a limited supply of cash.
In a statistics-heavy appeal to the state’s six congressional representatives and senators, association President and CEO Virginia Valentine explained that Nevada would be hurt more than any other state because of its dependence on tourism.
About 206,000 direct casino employees in Nevada are without work after Gov. Steve Sisolak’s Tuesday mandate, according to the American Gaming Association.
Hotel-casino employees worked toward complying with Gov. Steve Sisolak’s move to close all nonessential Nevada businesses for 30 days in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Throughout Las Vegas, businesses deemed nonessential were preparing Wednesday to shut their doors by noon to comply with an order from Gov. Steve Sisolak.
For at least the next 30 days, casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and across Nevada will sit empty. No tourists. No jackpots. No entertainment. No buffets.
As the economic impacts of dealing with the coronavirus spread, Nevada Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto are working to ensure the gaming industry is included in any relief bill.
Sisolak’s order follows the issuance of executive orders and gaming regulatory decisions to close properties in six other states that offer casino gambling.
Travel spending, including on transportation, hotels and attractions, is projected to fall by $355 billion this year, the group said.
Here’s an updated roundup of the latest changes to Las Vegas casinos.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. employees will be paid while Strip resorts are closed, and the closure “will not impact health care eligibility,” according to a company statement.