Matt Maddox, the CEO of Wynn Resorts Ltd., has called for parts of the Nevada economy to reopen in early May, with the Las Vegas Strip to open again in mid- to late-May.
“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 said in an op-ed in the Nevada Independent. “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.”
Bloomberg News reported on Nevada’s approach to bringing the country back to normalcy:
The opinion piece was accompanied by a 23-page proposal detailing steps it’s taking to keep its casino, hotel rooms and facilities sanitized and safe, down to details such as giving all guests amenity bags that include hand sanitizer and face masks, as well as a “Covid-19 awareness card.”
Other safeguards he proposed include:
Reopening with reduced occupancy, physical distancing measures, temperature checks and no large gatheringsThe need to wear masksAn increase in coronavirus tests in the stateEnsure hospitalizations and deaths relative to the population aren’t exceeding the national averageHospital critical care availability should increaseLimiting the number of guests in elevators and limosRemoving guest rooms with presumptive positives from service and quarantinedSecurity officers to greet visitors, who will be screened and asked to use hand sanitizer and wear a mask.
Maddox pointed out that the main obstacle to reopening is widespread testing, but that he anticipates it will happen over the coming weeks. He also highlighted the dangers of the financial distress facing hospitals that have canceled elective procedures, which could lead to a “badly damaged” health-care system.
Bloomberg noted that Wynn was the first in the state to shut down operations in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak and “is committed to paying its staff for 60 days through May 15, which is costing the company about $3 million a day or $180 million for the two months.”
“The shutdown to cope with the pandemic has taken a toll in Las Vegas and the state of Nevada, which rely heavily on tourists,” Bloomberg reported. “The unemployment rate rose by 2.7 percentage points to 6.3 percent in Nevada — the largest increases in jobless rates in the nation, according to a Labor Department report Friday, as Americans began curbing their social activities and staying home more.”
“Our economy is in a free fall,” Maddox said. “Nevada will likely be one of the hardest hit states in the nation and suffer very high unemployment. It is imperative to flatten this curve so we can re-emerge in a safe, sustainable way.”
Bloomberg reported that Wynn’s shares have fallen 44 percent since Jan. 1, 2020, compared with the 11 percent decline in the S&P 500 Index.
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