Devastated by Covid-19, Las Vegas is betting everything on reopening.
Completely deserted since March, when the official quarantine was decreed, Las Vegas, in the American state of Nevada, is taking its first steps towards reopening. Last Monday, May 18th, the local tourism board launched the campaign "What Happens in Vegas," which aims to convince tourists worldwide to return to its casinos (watch here).
“The world has changed, and so has Las Vegas,” says the opening line of the video. “Things will be a little different when we reopen – at least for a while,” says another line from the commercial. “But we’re working to make the experience more intimate, with more space and the excitement you expect.”
The easing of lockdown measures began on May 9th, when non-essential businesses, such as shops and restaurants, were allowed to reopen. However, large casinos, such as the MGM and the Bellagio, are only expected to reopen to tourists from June 1st.
Another pillar of Las Vegas entertainment, live shows will return even later, at the earliest on June 30th. Major companies, such as Cirque du Soleil, have announced that audience capacity will be reduced. Meanwhile, the famous pool parties remain banned, with no date set for their return.
The 400 local casinos are promising strict measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In the gaming areas, for example, occupancy limits will be reduced by half. Gatherings of groups will be prohibited, and employees who distribute chips and cards to patrons will have to disinfect their hands after each interaction.
This week, a motorcade of 10.000 local workers toured the city in celebration. Among the cars were banners asking for tourists' trust. "Transparency = safety" and "we don't gamble when it comes to life" were some of the messages displayed.
“We don’t know what the new normal will be like. But it certainly won’t be like in the past, when casinos operated at 90% occupancy on weekends,” says John Restrepo of RCG Economics, a consultancy based in the city.
The problem, according to experts, is that the state began its reopening without having contained the infections. With 7.000 confirmed cases and 350 deaths, Nevada is still registering about 50 new infections daily. This is fueling fears that the resumption of activities could lead to a possible second wave. Analysts also say that the number of tests performed there is low.
Alongside Orlando, Florida, home to Disney and Universal theme parks, Las Vegas has had its economy devastated by the novel coronavirus. A third of all jobs depend on the tourism and entertainment industry. According to official data, unemployment has risen from 4% in February to a staggering 25% currently.
Las Vegas has 150.000 hotel rooms (for comparison, New York has 107.000, and London, 140.000). The average occupancy rate, which usually hovers around 90%, has plummeted to less than 5% in the last eight weeks.
Of the 60.000 members of the food service workers' union, 98% reported losing their jobs during the lockdown. And about 14% of Nevada's three million residents reported not having enough money even to buy food.
Faced with such a frightening scenario, Las Vegas hopes that the days of hedonism and gambling will once again capture the imagination (and the wallets) of tourists from all over the world.Veja magazine – Ernesto Neves)
The easing of lockdown measures began on May 9th, when non-essential businesses, such as shops and restaurants, were allowed to reopen. However, large casinos, such as the MGM and the Bellagio, are only expected to reopen to tourists from June 1st.
Another pillar of Las Vegas entertainment, live shows will return even later, at the earliest on June 30th. Major companies, such as Cirque du Soleil, have announced that audience capacity will be reduced. Meanwhile, the famous pool parties remain banned, with no date set for their return.
The 400 local casinos are promising strict measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. In the gaming areas, for example, occupancy limits will be reduced by half. Gatherings of groups will be prohibited, and employees who distribute chips and cards to patrons will have to disinfect their hands after each interaction.
This week, a motorcade of 10.000 local workers toured the city in celebration. Among the cars were banners asking for tourists' trust. "Transparency = safety" and "we don't gamble when it comes to life" were some of the messages displayed.
“We don’t know what the new normal will be like. But it certainly won’t be like in the past, when casinos operated at 90% occupancy on weekends,” says John Restrepo of RCG Economics, a consultancy based in the city.
The problem, according to experts, is that the state began its reopening without having contained the infections. With 7.000 confirmed cases and 350 deaths, Nevada is still registering about 50 new infections daily. This is fueling fears that the resumption of activities could lead to a possible second wave. Analysts also say that the number of tests performed there is low.
Alongside Orlando, Florida, home to Disney and Universal theme parks, Las Vegas has had its economy devastated by the novel coronavirus. A third of all jobs depend on the tourism and entertainment industry. According to official data, unemployment has risen from 4% in February to a staggering 25% currently.
Las Vegas has 150.000 hotel rooms (for comparison, New York has 107.000, and London, 140.000). The average occupancy rate, which usually hovers around 90%, has plummeted to less than 5% in the last eight weeks.
Of the 60.000 members of the food service workers' union, 98% reported losing their jobs during the lockdown. And about 14% of Nevada's three million residents reported not having enough money even to buy food.
Faced with such a frightening scenario, Las Vegas hopes that the days of hedonism and gambling will once again capture the imagination (and the wallets) of tourists from all over the world.Veja magazine – Ernesto Neves)
