MGM Resorts Cancels May Reservations Taken for Las Vegas Properties

Posted on: April 26, 2020, 05:58h. 

Last updated on: April 26, 2020, 01:39h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

MGM Resorts International has canceled bookings at its Las Vegas hotels for between May 1 and 21, as hospitality and gaming companies continue to plan for their reopening after closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MGM Properties Cancel Reservations
MGM Grand Las Vegas and other MGM Resorts properties in the region have canceled accepted bookings for between May 1 and 21. Nevada casinos were closed last month by the coronavirus pandemic. (Image: MGM Resorts)

As of Friday, the earliest available Las Vegas reservations are on June 1 through MGM’s website, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Just a day before, on Thursday, the website was still allowing reservations starting on May 1, the report adds.

Would-be guests were recently told by MGM that bookings between May 1 and 21 were canceled, company spokesman Brian Ahern confirmed to the Review-Journal. But MGM has not canceled reservations past May 21, the report adds.

Other casinos companies, such as Boyd Gaming, Caesars Entertainment, and Station Casinos, were taking bookings for hotels in the Las Vegas region starting on May 15, the Review-Journal said.

Caesars said accepting reservations does not mean the hotels will open by that date, company spokesman Richard Broome told the Review-Journal. The company wants reservations in place when the hotels reopen, he adds.

Caesars adds its Nevada properties will reopen “when allowed to do so by Governor [Steve] Sisolak,” the Review-Journal said. Also, Treasure Island, privately owned by Phil Ruffin, will accept reservations for stays beginning on May 15, though that date may be too optimistic.

“We will be monitoring the ongoing situation and following the advice of federal, state, and local government and health agencies,” the Treasure Island website said. “Treasure Island will work with all guests who wish to change or cancel their reservations and provide full refunds to those with arrival dates during the closure.”

Neither The Venetian nor Palazzo were taking reservations, the Review-Journal said. Both hotels are owned by Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Nevada Gaming Control Board Needs To Review Casino Plans

Gov. Sisolak has announced some of the steps the state will take to reopen the economy. Casinos must submit reopening plans to the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB).

Board officials need to approve plans before casinos can welcome back customers. The review process requires casinos to address 18 specific procedures.

“The Gaming Control Board is committed to the safe reopening of Nevada’s gaming industry, and will assist licensees where needed to reopen as efficiently as possible while complying with applicable gaming statutes, regulations, and policies. A safe, thoughtful, and efficient resumption of gaming operations in this State will help both Nevada and its residents recover from this pandemic,” NGCB Chair Sandra Morgan said in a statement.

Sisolak in March ordered casinos and other nonessential businesses to shutter until April 30. Last week, Sisolak announced there was no specific reopening date for Nevada.

Health Data Will Drive Nevada Reopening

“We will open when the time is right,” the governor said. The decision will be made based on health data and input from health professionals.

Among the factors officials will review are a downward trend in the number of coronavirus patients placed in hospitals over a 14-day period. Also, the state wants to see a drop in the number of people in Nevada testing positive for COVID-19.

Nevada officials will also look at whether healthcare providers are able to test patients with symptoms. There needs to be capacity to process COVID-19 tests in labs.

In addition, state officials want to see that coronavirus outbreaks are contained and curbed in nursing homes and other healthcare facilities.