Tropicana reopening pushed back

Fans of the Tropicana will have to wait a little longer to book a stay at the hotel-casino.

Penn National Gaming Inc.’s sole Strip property had planned to reopen Sept. 1 but has pushed back the date to Sept. 17.

The Tropicana, which is looking for a buyer, has been shuttered since mid-March. It is one of only two Penn properties that have yet to reopen, with Zia Park in New Mexico.

Penn spokesman Jeff Morris said the company decided to delay the resort’s reopening after reviewing the impact of COVID-19 on demand for travel and room nights in the Las Vegas market.

CEO and President Jay Snowden warned investors this month that the property’s closure may be extended.

“There’s a lot of moving parts,” Snowden said on an Aug. 6 earnings call. “We’re going to be really thoughtful around when and how we reopen (Tropicana). … As of right now, September feels right, but we have several more weeks to nail down an exact date, and if it’s not right, then we’ll wait a little bit longer to reopen.”

The delayed opening means the property will remain closed on Labor Day weekend, when Las Vegas is expected to see a boost in foot traffic.

Once open, the property will have limited offerings. Food options will include Starbucks and a quick-serve menu from Robert Irvine’s Public House, according to the property’s website.

The pool and spa will reopen, but valet services will remain closed. There will be no live music, entertainment, conventions, banquet services, large drawings, tournaments or special events.

Penn shares fell 1.7 percent Friday to $55.60 on the Nasdaq.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.