Vegas Re-opening Part 1

Las Vegas casinos were permitted to welcome guests again starting at 12:01 AM on June 4. Later that same day, I visited several establishments along the north Strip. Many shops and dining options inside the casinos remained closed, and some venues, like the Mirage, opted to stay shut for now.

Here are a few observations I made during my trip that day:

• The employees I encountered appeared genuinely pleased to return to their jobs and were exceptionally courteous and helpful throughout my visit.
• Given that it was the first day of business after a break of 2.5 months, I anticipated that everyone would be itching to play, but surprisingly, that wasn't the case. Many gaming tables were virtually empty and dining venues had only a handful of patrons.
• Approximately half of the casinos checked temperatures before granting entry. At the Wynn, I was informed that the threshold was set at 102 degrees. I can't help but wonder about the individuals with 102-degree fevers who are wandering around the Strip. Personally, I would feel more secure if that limit was lowered to around 99 degrees.
• While all employees were observed wearing masks, it was left up to guests to decide whether to wear them. I estimated that only about 20% chose to do so. There didn't appear to be a strong adherence to social distancing measures.
• Half of the slot machines in each bank were turned off. However, in the widely used circular arrangement of machines at the Venetian, every single one was operational.
• Some casinos, such as the Bellagio, implemented plexiglass shields at table games, while others, like Treasure Island, did not, and places like the Wynn had a mix of both setups.
• Numerous hand sanitizing stations were available everywhere, but the Bellagio took it up a notch by providing hand-washing facilities right on the casino floor. Kudos to them!
• Unfortunately, all buffet services and entertainment shows are still unavailable.
• There was a rule that restricted elevators to a maximum of four people at a time, but this rule wasn't being enforced at the Treasure Island, at least when traveling to and from the parking garage.

I intend to explore more casinos in other parts of Vegas and share my observations regarding downtown next week.

For now, I have additional insights and images from the opening day in Vegas in my Wizard of Vegas blog .

Written by: Michael Shackleford