Wynn CEO Predicts the Las Vegas Strip Could Reopen in Mid- to Late May

As Nevadans get anxious about reopening nonessential businesses including casinos, restaurants with dine-in service, and bars, Wynn Las Vegas CEO Matt Maddox unveils a plan to try to balance flattening the curve in the spread of COVID-19 with getting back to business.

Maddox believes that parts of the Nevada economy can reopen in early May “with reduced occupancy, physical distancing measures in place, temperature checks, and no large gatherings. We all need to wear a mask. Wearing a mask is uncomfortable; however, it will allow our economy to reopen faster,” he writes in The Nevada Independent.

He also thinks the Las Vegas Strip may be able to reopen in mid- to late-May, as long as “hospitalizations and deaths per million should not exceed the national average over any sustained period.”

The resort revealed part of its plans to reopen, including thermal cameras that would alert staff when someone enters the resort with a temperature over 100 degrees F. Those guests and employees would be directed to take a secondary temperature reading, will not be allowed to enter the resort and instead directed to appropriate medical care.

Wynn also plans to arrange proper distancing at restaurant tables, slot machines, and other physical layouts to maintain six-foot distancing guidelines. The resort would also offer touchless hand sanitizer dispensers at entrances as well as contact areas such as driveways, reception areas, hotel lobbies, the casino floor, restaurant entrances, meeting and convention spaces, elevator landings, pools, salons, and exercise areas.

Wynn Las Vegas and its sister property Encore Las Vegas were some of the first casinos to close to the public to impede the spread of COVID-19 ahead of Gov. Steve Sisolak’s mandate to close all nonessential businesses — including casinos, dine-in restaurants, and bars — until April 30.

Note that Wynn is paying its 15,000 full-time and part-time employees to stay home during the pandemic through May 15 at a cost of approximately $3 million per day or $180 million for two months.

The entire Wynn-Health-Plan.pdf is available online.

• Wynn Las Vegas, Encore Close March 17 to Prevent Coronavirus Spread [ELV]

• Gaming Companies Furlough More Employees in Las Vegas Casinos [ELV]

• A Plan to Re-open Nevada [TNI]

• All AM Intel [ELV]

• How Coronavirus Is Affecting Las Vegas Food and Restaurants [ELV]