MGM Resorts International said Wednesday the company’s nine Las Vegas Strip resorts had been approved by state gaming regulators to return to full gaming floor occupancy levels without social distancing requirements.
In a statement, MGM Resorts said the current 80% occupancy restrictions and three-foot social distancing policies remain in effect outside of the gaming floors, including the property’s restaurants, pools, and other non-gaming areas and activities.
Additional health and safety protocols will also continue, including mask mandates.
The waiver was granted based on MGM Resorts’ work to vaccinate its workforce.
MGM Resorts is the Strip’s largest casino operator.
“This is yet another major milestone in Las Vegas’ incredible recovery and a testament to the importance of vaccination in the effort to fully reopen our community,” MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board’s waiver for the casino floors covers Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay, Park MGM, The Mirage, New York-New York, Luxor, and Excalibur.
Also Wednesday, 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. The casinos include Red Rock, Green Valley Ranch, Palace Station, Boulder Station, Sunset Station, and Santa Fe Station. Four other Red Rock Resorts properties remain closed, including the Palms Casino Resort, which the company is selling to the Southern California-based San Manuel Indian Tribe for $650 million.
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%.
The casino announcements came a day after the American Gaming Association said the U.S. commercial casino industry casinos took in over $11.1 billion in the first quarter of this year, matching its best ever in the first three months of this year.
In March, Las Vegas Strip casinos collected more than $501 million from gamblers, a year after that state began a 78-day shutdown of the gaming industry due to the pandemic.
Wynn Resorts two Strip properties, 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. A Wynn spokesman said Wednesday 91% of the company’s employees had been vaccinated.
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has made vaccinating the state’s frontline casino and tourism employees a priority in order to help the economic rebound.
MGM Resorts piloted the Strip’s first on-site vaccine clinic for employees, utilizing the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Wynn Resorts opened the Strip’s first vaccination clinic in January in conjunction with University Medical Center for Clark County residents.
“We will continue working to vaccinate as many people as possible and remain vigilant with health and safety protocols designed to protect our employees, guests, and community,” Hornbuckle said. “This vital work must continue for us to defeat this virus, and MGM Resorts is committed to doing our part to get it done.”
Red Rock Resorts said in a statement the company will continue its internal vaccination efforts and vaccination awareness campaign throughout May and into the summer for its employees.
Additionally, in efforts to assist and increase the number of COVID-19 vaccinations, Red Rock will make vaccines available at its properties, and continue its partnership with Clark County by providing a drive-through vaccination clinic at Texas Station, one of its four properties that remain closed.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
