MGM Resorts International has released a seven-point safety plan for reopening its U.S. casinos closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Preparing for the moment we can reopen our doors, MGM Resorts focused on developing a plan that puts health and safety at the center of everything we do,” acting CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement."Our properties will not look the way they used to for a while, and that's not only OK, it's critically important,” Hornbuckle said.
The plan includes employee health screening and temperature checks, masks for all workers, physical distancing, enhanced sanitation and air quality improvements.
It also includes protocols for responding to cases of infected employees or guests and the use of technology to reduce the need to wait in lines, such as contactless hotel check-in.
As with similar plans released by Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and Las Vegas Sands, MGM will emphasize employee hand-washing, regular cleaning of high-touch areas like door handles and elevator buttons, and social distancing rules.
All employees will also be required to wear protective face masks while at work and some will wear face shields, according to the guidelines. Hand-washing stations will have a “visible presence” throughout each MGM property.
Plastic barriers will be placed at different points inside resorts, and casino floor and restaurant layouts will be altered in some places to encourage social distancing, MGM said.
Every other slot machine will be out of service to further encourage social distancing, the company said. The number of players at table games will be limited per Nevada Gaming Control Board guidelines.
Guests will be offered face masks and will be “strongly encouraged” to wear them. Patrons will also be asked to minimize the amount of time masks are removed to drink beverages and will be encouraged to refrain from eating on the casino floor.
MGM also said it has reviewed its ventilation systems to “identify additional opportunities to enhance their effectiveness” to help mitigate the risk of virus transmission.
State gaming regulators are requiring all casino operators to submit reopening plans.
MGM said it plans to reopen its resorts in phases. In Las Vegas, it plans to open only a couple of its 10 Strip properties initially, most likely the Bellagio and New York-New York, the company has said.
Hornbuckle previously warned that some of the 60,000 MGM Resorts employees furloughed during the pandemic may not be recalled, at least not anytime soon.
“We hoped that a significant portion of our operations would bounce back by the summer. That outlook has continued to evolve as COVID-19 cases spread throughout the world,” Hornbuckle said in a May 5 letter to employees. “Based on the current situation, we now believe that some of our colleagues may not return to work this year.”
Gov. Steve Sisolak in mid-March ordered all casinos and other nonessential businesses closed to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Some businesses were allowed to reopen starting Saturday, but no date has been set for resuming operations at casinos, bars and nightclubs.
As of Monday, Nevada health officials reported more than 6,300 cases of COVID-19 and 312 virus-related deaths.
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2020/ma...reopening-cas/
"Preparing for the moment we can reopen our doors, MGM Resorts focused on developing a plan that puts health and safety at the center of everything we do,” acting CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement."Our properties will not look the way they used to for a while, and that's not only OK, it's critically important,” Hornbuckle said.
The plan includes employee health screening and temperature checks, masks for all workers, physical distancing, enhanced sanitation and air quality improvements.
It also includes protocols for responding to cases of infected employees or guests and the use of technology to reduce the need to wait in lines, such as contactless hotel check-in.
As with similar plans released by Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment and Las Vegas Sands, MGM will emphasize employee hand-washing, regular cleaning of high-touch areas like door handles and elevator buttons, and social distancing rules.
All employees will also be required to wear protective face masks while at work and some will wear face shields, according to the guidelines. Hand-washing stations will have a “visible presence” throughout each MGM property.
Plastic barriers will be placed at different points inside resorts, and casino floor and restaurant layouts will be altered in some places to encourage social distancing, MGM said.
Every other slot machine will be out of service to further encourage social distancing, the company said. The number of players at table games will be limited per Nevada Gaming Control Board guidelines.
Guests will be offered face masks and will be “strongly encouraged” to wear them. Patrons will also be asked to minimize the amount of time masks are removed to drink beverages and will be encouraged to refrain from eating on the casino floor.
MGM also said it has reviewed its ventilation systems to “identify additional opportunities to enhance their effectiveness” to help mitigate the risk of virus transmission.
State gaming regulators are requiring all casino operators to submit reopening plans.
MGM said it plans to reopen its resorts in phases. In Las Vegas, it plans to open only a couple of its 10 Strip properties initially, most likely the Bellagio and New York-New York, the company has said.
Hornbuckle previously warned that some of the 60,000 MGM Resorts employees furloughed during the pandemic may not be recalled, at least not anytime soon.
“We hoped that a significant portion of our operations would bounce back by the summer. That outlook has continued to evolve as COVID-19 cases spread throughout the world,” Hornbuckle said in a May 5 letter to employees. “Based on the current situation, we now believe that some of our colleagues may not return to work this year.”
Gov. Steve Sisolak in mid-March ordered all casinos and other nonessential businesses closed to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Some businesses were allowed to reopen starting Saturday, but no date has been set for resuming operations at casinos, bars and nightclubs.
As of Monday, Nevada health officials reported more than 6,300 cases of COVID-19 and 312 virus-related deaths.
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2020/ma...reopening-cas/
