Caesars Entertainment announced late Wednesday that its nine Strip resorts were cleared for 100% occupancy for their casino floors by state gaming regulators.
In a statement, the company said the Gaming Control Board approved a return to full occupancy, without social distancing. Caesars employees are still required to wear masks at all times.
Current 80% occupancy restrictions and three-foot social distancing policies remain in effect outside of the gaming floors.
Caesars guests are still required to wear masks unless actively smoking, eating, or drinking. Those guests who have been fully vaccinated are welcome to remove their masks when seated at any of the resorts’ pool areas, the company said.
The announcement means the gaming floors operated by the Strip’s two largest casino companies have been cleared for full occupancy. Earlier Wednesday, MGM Resorts International said its nine Strip resorts were approved by gaming regulators for 100% occupancy on casino floors.
“The expansion to full capacity and the elimination of social distancing on our casino floors in Las Vegas is a result of our team members’ commitment to doing their part to put us all on the road to recovery,” Caesars CEO Tom Reeg said in a statement. “We are grateful to our team members who have chosen to be vaccinated and will continue to offer incentives and provide easy, on-site access to vaccines for all of our team members in Las Vegas.”
The Nevada Gaming Control Board’s waiver covers Bally’s Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, The Cromwell, Flamingo, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Paris Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood, and Rio.
In addition to Caesars and MGM, the two Strip properties operated by Wynn, the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and the Strat Casino and Tower had previously been approved to return to 100% capacity. The properties’ owners were able to show the Gaming Control Board that at least 80% of employees had received at least one shot of coronavirus vaccine.
Also on Thursday, Red Rock Resorts said its properties in the Las Vegas Valley operating under its Station Casinos subsidiary also gained approval to open casino floors to 100% occupancy.
“While this shift is encouraging, we understand that the battle is not yet won, and it is through a continued commitment to health and safety that Las Vegas can most quickly rebound,” Reeg said in a statement released by Caesars.
Clark County lawmakers with jurisdiction over Las Vegas-area businesses have approved plans to allow 100% occupancy once 60% of eligible county residents receive a COVID-19 vaccine shot. As of Wednesday, the figure was 47%.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has made vaccinating the state’s frontline casino and tourism employees a priority in order to help the economic rebound.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
