LAS VEGAS REOPENS
ALL IN Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak’s recent decision to move casinos to 100% capacity by June 1 makes Las Vegas poised for a stellar summer season. Las Vegas was already poised for a strong summer 2021 when Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced casinos will be able to operate at 100% capacity starting June 1. Sisolak’s ruling is the green flag operators had been eyeing since the Covid-19 pandemic initially shut down the state’s casinos last spring. The decision to return to full operations so soon was in many ways a no-brainer for the Governor. Demand for America’s entertainment capital has taken off since mid-March this year, when the city began to see thousands of out-of-state visitors flock back to casinos for the NCAA Tournament and St. Patrick’s Day. 24 GAMINGAMERICA
Each successive spring weekend has generated sprawling crowds on the Strip and Downtown, and operators are surely thrilled to raise hotel room rates to match demand. There doesn’t seem to be any slowing down the momentum, either. With more than half of adult Americans at least partially vaccinated, appetite for travel is gaining steam. US consumer confidence is reportedly at a pandemic-high, fueled by the latest round of government stimulus checks. Arguably no American city stands to benefit as much as Las Vegas, which will have to heavily rely on domestic tourism this summer. “Southern Nevada's tourism industry took another important step forward with Governor Sisolak's confidence Las Vegas can safely allow full occupancy at all venues starting June 1,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “The wide availability and rapid administration of vaccines will allow our valued events industry to reconvene with confidence and in its entirety. Las Vegas will continue providing the gold standard for health, wellness and safety precautions for the benefit of its workforce, the community and our visitors.” Of all the tell-tale signs that Las Vegas is sensing a comeback, perhaps none is stronger than multiple companies posting hiring ads for at least a dozen areas. That’s according to Alan Feldman, a Distinguished Fellow in Responsible Gaming at the International Gaming Institute and previously a longtime MGM Resorts executive.
