Wynn Resorts CEO wants Las Vegas Strip to reopen in May

Matt Maddox has laid out a five point plan that would allow the Strip to reopen next month.

US.- Casinos within the Las Vegas Strip should reopen in mid or late May, according to the CEO of Wynn Resorts.

All Las Vegas casinos have been forced to closed because of lockdown measures in the state of Nevada to prevent the further spread of Coronavirus.

Writing in a column for The Nevada Independent, Matt Maddox gave his thoughts on events from the perspective of his casinos during the lockdown.

He said: “When we decided to be the first to close in Nevada, before the state required the closure of casino resorts, we did it with a heavy heart but knew it was in the best interest of our employees and community.

“We also understood that asking 15,000 employees to stay home during the pandemic was challenging. We chose to pay all our full-time and part-time employees for 60 days through May 15th including an estimate for tips they could earn during the closure.

“It is costing us approximately $3million per day or $180million for two months.”

He went on to reveal his five-point plan to suggest how the Strip can reopen in mid or late May.

“In order to be able to recover and reopen in Las Vegas, this is what I believe are the right steps to take..”

1. The governor’s appointed Task Force should be focused on Covid- 19 testing capabilities and safely reopening the economy.

2. Reopen parts of the local Nevada economy in early May. Begin with reduced occupancy, physical distancing measures in place, temperature checks and no large gatherings. We all need to wear a mask. Wearing a mask is uncomfortable; however, it will allow our economy to reopen faster.

3. Follow the data provided by a team of modelling experts tracking benchmarks based on the following criteria:

a. Increases in Covid-19 testing velocity.

b. Hospitalisations and deaths per million should not exceed the national average over any sustained period.

c. Hospital critical care bed availability should be reserved based on a ratio of current Covid-19 patients in the event of a spike.

d. Full transparent data should be public, web-based and accessible to anyone.

4. Assuming in mid- to late-May we are still in line with the benchmarks, slowly begin to reopen the Las Vegas Strip with extensive safety measures in place.

5. Monitor the data every day. If we need to, marginally pull back or move forward.