By Noah Manskar
The head of Wynn Resorts wants to roll the dice on reopening the Las Vegas Strip next month if the coronavirus crisis is under control.
Wynn CEO Matt Maddox called on Nevada officials to begin reopening the gambling hub in mid-to-late May — as long as the local rates of COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths stay below the national average.
The plan could help restart the Silver State’s economy but would depend on increased coronavirus testing and “extensive safety measures” on the Strip, Maddox said in a Sunday op-ed in the Nevada Independent, a news website. Other parts of the local economy could reopen in early May with reduced occupancy and other safety precautions in place, he said.
“I understand that if we incrementally reopen we might have to pull back if a spike in cases occurs that jeopardizes our health care system capacity,” Maddox wrote. “However, the only way to cross this river is one stone at a time, and we need to put our feet in the water before it is too late.”
Wynn has also unveiled a plan for keeping its venues clean once they reopen. The company would check the temperatures of all employees and guests with thermal cameras and require them to wear provided masks.
The Las Vegas Strip has gone dark since Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered the state’s casinos to close last month to stem the spread of the virus. The hospitality industry shutdown could reportedly cost the local economy nearly $39 billion, according to the Nevada Resort Association.
Wynn Resorts closed its Strip properties — the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore — on March 17, a day before Sisolak’s order took effect. The company pledged to pay its full- and part-time employees through May 15, which is costing about $3 million a day, Maddox said.
With Post wires
