Nevada Casinos Closed Through April 30, as Gov. Sisolak Issues Stay-at-Home Order
Posted on: April 1, 2020, 11:41h.
Last updated on: April 1, 2020, 12:12h.
Nevada casinos will remain closed at least through the end of April as a result of Gov. Steve Sisolak’s (D) stay-at-home order.
Sisolak issued the directive today, which requires all schools, non-essential businesses, and casinos to be closed through April 30. The governor initially ordered casinos to suspend their operations on March 17 for a 30-day period. This week’s directive extends their suspensions by 13 days.
We have taken a number of critical and unprecedented steps since the Emergency Declaration as part of our #StayHomeForNevada effort to help flatten the curve,” Sisolak tweeted. “This directive builds on those efforts & ensures everyone fully understands our statewide goal: STAY HOME for our State.”
Nevada joins 31 other states plus the District of Columbia in ordering non-essential businesses to close and residents to stay at home except for making critical trips. It will be the first time since Nevada legalized gambling in 1931 that a regulated slot machine won’t be spun in an entire month.
Sisolak added in a release, “Today’s ‘Stay at Home’ directive strengthens the imperative that Nevadans must not leave their homes for nonessential activities in order to prevent the spread of COVID19. This directive builds on previous directives around school closures, social distancing, closure of non-essential businesses, and bans on public gatherings of 10 or more people by requiring you stay at home unless leaving is absolutely necessary.”
Stocks React
The COVID-19 pandemic has already been catastrophic for the gaming industry, as all commercial casinos in the United States and most elsewhere have shuttered.
In Nevada, the largest gaming market in the country and second in the world behind only Macau, the industry is hurting badly. With the shutdown extended through April, the largest casino operators in Nevada are seeing their share prices decline.
As of this afternoon, Las Vegas Sands is down 4.8 percent, MGM Resorts 1.8 percent, Wynn Resorts 10.2 percent, Penn National Gaming 18 percent, and Boyd Gaming 8.5 percent.
Casinos were being aggressive in taking online hotel reservations beginning April 17. Now, those bookings will be canceled and refunded. Sands’ Venetian wasted no time in informing potential guests that while April 17-30 won’t happen, the Strip resort is taking reservations for arrivals beginning May 1.
Critics Sound Off
The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) says Nevada stands to lose 5.3 percent of its private-sector workforce – roughly 66,600 jobs – from the coronavirus economic fallout. Sisolak’s followers on Twitter were quick to react to the extended shutdown.
“So not gonna give us a chance? The longer the strip stays closed the worse the financial damage,” tweeted Vegas_Local.
Another follower countered, “Everyone needs to understand that it’s not his fault for this pandemic. All he’s doing is putting you and your family in good health. If ALL businesses are open, it would be a disaster.”
Joan Perkins, a casino worker in Las Vegas, told Casino.org prior to Sisolak’s extension, “Casinos should wait until at least May 1 to open. Otherwise, you are putting workers at a huge risk! None of us have a death wish.”
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Last Comments ( 10 )
The Gov has panicked. This virus not as deadly as orig thght. Open up NV!
I think Mr sisolak is doing a good job he is just watching out for us so that the vivrus won't spread and we are not doing that bad my heart goes out to new York all of those people dying is so sad and I pray for everyone to stay safe god bless amercia
Being closed will kill Nevada Economy faster than some renegade virus ,the Government or should know this,who's side are you on anyway SISOLAK?
NO TESTS=NO WORK. IT WILL BE GREAT TO GO BACK TO WORK, BUT ONLY IN A SAFE AND SANE WAY. CASINOS DRAW VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THEY SHOULD BE TESTED BEFORE AND AFTER GETTING OFF THE PLANE. THEY SHOULD BE TESTED AT THE HOTEL AT CHECK-IN. THEY NEED MORE WORKERS CLEANING AND SANITIZING ALL MACHINES AND THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT SHOULD BE DONE TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE FROM THE TRUMP VIRUS. THE UNSTABLE MORON TOLD US THAT WE CAN ALL HAVE A TEST IF WE WANT A TEST. THAT IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND FREE! DEMAND THAT BE DONE. THIS LIAR IN CHIEF IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP US ALL AND SHOVING THE RESPONSIBILITY ON ALL THE STATES AS THEY ARE BROKE. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESIDENT TO HANDLE THIS CRISIS. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE AN UNSTABLE MORON THAT TOLD EVERYONE THAT THE VIRUS IS JUST A DEMOCRATIC HOAX EVEN WHEN HE ADMITTED ALREADY KNOWING THE TRUTH. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOUSANDS OF DEATHS. PEOPLE, DO NOT RUSH BACK OUT TO WORK. TRUMP HAS YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT FUND AND IT IS GOOD FOR 26 WEEKS. IT GIVES THE AHOLE PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THE ITEMS NEEDED FOR THE STATES TO DO MASS TESTING. THAT IS WHAT IS NEEDED RIGHT NOW. I WOULD NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT I DO NOT KNOW HAVE BEEN STAYING HOME AND SOCIAL DISTANCING. LOOK AT ALL OF THE FOOLS OUT PROTESTING. THEY WILL GET THE TRUMP VIRUS AND DIE AND THEN HE WILL LOSE THEIR VOTES WHEN THEY ARE DEAD. STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY AND STAY HOME!
I am a casino worker and am currently still working as even though the casino's are currently closed they still need to be manned by few, unfortunately/fortunately (depending how you look at it) I am one of those few. I risk my safety everyday going to work making sure I don't get this stupid virus being around other co-workers who I do not know where they have been as well as vendors coming onto the property for needed reasons. If just one of us gets sick, that's it for all of us that are working in the building. Having the casino's not open right now is one of the best decisions made until this virus for sure is controlled. And to open the casino's right now and other places like theaters and malls does not mean everyone goes back to work right away. You need the people and customers to be coming to these places so there is money to pay the staff, do you honestly think that everyone is going to flock to all these places right away with this virus still floating about? And those that do go to these places right away before it's controlled, if one person has the virus they're risking giving it to others which could trigger another uproar of cases. Just a thought!
Don Rice is another far right wingnut who is angry that Trump's incompetence is on full display now while everyone is paying attention so he deflects just like his cult leader Trump.
Every person that insists in businesses such as casinos operating normally are both ignorant of science and are a risk for society. At this point in time, even the most uneducated person could understand that. Sisolak is following scientific advice and for that should be praised. This is not a political movement, I work in a hospital and have worked with these patients and seen their suffering. If you think this is a hoax you are an ignorant person.
while the government is not responsible for the virus the feds should have taken a pro active stance from the start. All states should have closed there borders and shut down all un-necessary travel from the start. But no they didn't want to upset the anyone, they were worried about there job and losing voters. So now we do not know when this will end and the guessing game and the finger pointing will continue.
100 % RIGHT ON !!!! The dim-witted dems ( and the left wing media idiots ) have brought this virus crisis to a political arena. Instead of trying to solve the issues, they have ONLY one agenda.....bring down Trump ! Every attempt to undermine the President has been overcome. Now in the midst of a National emergency, the dems still want nothing more than to hurt our country with their actions. THEY JUST DON'T GET IT....Nev. Gov., cry-babies Pelosi, Schummer, Como, etc. The Casinos, malls, theaters, food venues should be re-opening asap! The people, workers, companys are all suffering because we closed our country. I'm not insensitive to deaths caused by this virus, but every year MORE people die from flu and other causes as well as during other pandemic outbreaks ( SARS, H1V1, Eboloa ) and we never closed our country totally . Now we are closed and witness the negative effects. ONE word....POLITICAL !!!
Steve Sisolak is going to face a political price for what he is doing. Should the casino's have been closed for a period of time? Yes, but not for the length of time Sisolak has mandated. IMO? I think Sisolak (a dem) is doing this for political reasons (along with other dem governors) to hurt the economy which in turn he and his ilk hope it will hurt Pres trump. Trump 2020 baby!!!!!!!