Las Vegas casinos are about to reopen, and photos show that plexiglass shields, hand-washing stations, and out-of-service slot machines will be the new normal
- Some hotels and casinos will be reopening on the Las Vegas Strip on Thursday after closing in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Casinos will be required to have a plan for proper hygiene and social distancing before they can reopen.
- At Bellagio and other MGM Resorts properties, hand-washing stations and plexiglass shields have been set up on the casino floor.
Nevada is allowing some hotels and casinos to reopen on Thursday as part of the second phase of the state's reopening plan.
But Las Vegas casinos won't look quite the same as they did before the coronavirus pandemic. Before reopening, casinos must submit a plan to the Nevada Gaming Control Board that ensures proper hygiene and social distancing measures will be in place.
For MGM Resorts, whose Las Vegas properties include Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and New York-New York, that means enacting a "Seven-Point Safety Plan" that calls for employee screening, social distancing, enhanced cleaning protocols, and hand-washing stations on casino floors. Employees will be required to wear masks, while guests will be encouraged to do so. In some parts of the resort, like at roulette tables, guests will be required to wear masks.
MGM Resorts gave an early look at its new health and safety measures to Getty Images photographers at Bellagio, which has been closed since March 17.
Here's what they saw:
MGM Resorts plans to reopen Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand, and The Signature on Thursday. The Cosmopolitan, Caesars Palace, Circus Circus, Flamingo, Palazzo, Sahara, Strat, Treasure Island, The Venetian, Wynn, and Encore are also reopening on the Strip.
Resorts are encouraging guests to use their mobile check-in process.
They can also use the hotel's digital key technology to enter their rooms.
But if guests opt to check in in person, they'll see plexiglass shields at the reception desk.
Monitors show the resort's safety guidelines, which include wearing a mask in public places and maintaining a six-foot distance from others.
There are also hand sanitizer stations in the lobby and in the gaming area.
On the casino floor, machines are set up so that every other seat is out of service.
Signs on machines remind players the changes are in keeping with social distancing.
Plexiglass shields are set up at craps tables ...
... and at blackjack tables.
There won't be plexiglass shields at the roulette tables, however, because players have to reach across the table to place their bets. Players will be required to wear masks.
The casino floor has its own hand-washing station as well.
Seats in the sportsbook are spaced apart for social distancing.
Restaurants in the MGM Resorts properties have implemented new processes for mobile ordering.
At Sadelle's, in Bellagio, seats are spaced apart. There's also an area designated for bartenders to make drinks at a distance from customers.
It's a similar scene at the pool deck, where chairs and umbrellas were placed apart from each other.
Floor stickers also remind guests to keep with social distancing while visiting the resort's botanical gardens.
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