MGM Resorts resuming operations at 3 Las Vegas hotels
Mandalay Bay, Park MGM and The Mirage will return to 24/7 service on March 3
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Las Vegas may soon "viva" once again.
Three Las Vegas resorts that had been closing mid-week because of slowed business amid the COVID-19 pandemic will resume normal 24/7 operations starting March 3, owner MGM Resorts International announced Wednesday.
The affected properties include the Mandalay Bay, Park MGM and The Mirage.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Three Las Vegas resorts that had been closing mid-week because of slowed business amid the COVID-19 pandemic will resume normal 24/7 operations starting March 3. (iStock)
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Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and president of MGM Resorts, said in a written statement that the move comes as public sentiment toward traveling is improving. Plus, the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases being reported has reached the lowest point since October and more than 56 million vaccine doses have been administered, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The affected properties include the Mandalay Bay, Park MGM and The Mirage. (iStock)
"We remain optimistic about Las Vegas’ recovery and our ability to bring employees back to work as business volumes allow us to do so," Hornbuckle said.
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MGM is also planning to return several of its live stage shows later this month and next month.
Nevada officials permitted casinos to reopen in June after an initial pandemic-related shutdown, but visitors were slow to return to Las Vegas and many of The Strip’s hotels opted to open only on weekends for periods since then.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In 2020, just 19 million people visited Las Vegas, a 55% drop from the year before, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Nevada officials permitted casinos to reopen in June after an initial pandemic-related shutdown, but visitors were slow to return to Las Vegas. (iStock)
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For those who do still visit the city, MGM Resorts has a "seven-point safety plan" intended to protect employees and guests from the coronavirus.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The safety plan includes requiring masks, a physical distancing policy and added protections to the properties like Plexiglas barriers and standalone handwashing stations.