pdxjayhawk

Looks like the Nevada governor has immediately lifted the state's indoor mask mandate. Of course, businesses can still choose to require them.

Hope to see the casinos follow the Gov and lift their requirement soon.

redtop43

Personally, I'll be surprised if casinos maintain them.

First, it's going to be a competitive thing. Most people, given a choice, will patronize an establishment that doesn't require masks.

Second, I can only guess that the least favorite part of everybody's job is telling people to put on their masks.

Anyone disagree?

nrr

With Atlantic City casinos going massless for several months i can’t imagine LV still requiring masks
[officially only vaccinated NJ gamblers could go maskless, but NO ONE checked.]

Visconti

Had no idea this was happening when I arrived in Vegas last night, but I noticed about 60% were no longer masked along with a fair number of casino employees. I kind of had an inkling when I was here last week, at least at MGM properties, that both patrons and employees were kind tired of the mandatory masking.

PS - Haven't checked but I think MGM's policy is still masking indoors. But, even if that were the case, believe me, no one, and I mean no one, not even security, would care or enforce masking ever again moving forward.

Perhaps, in name only? From last night, even with over 1/2 of casino staff unmasked, the era of "mask enforcement" at MGM is now quickly becoming a distant rumor.

Ah, you have your share of the "Karen" type busy bodies who work in Vegas. While I can understand one doing his/her job, I however did take some umbrage with the enthusiasm some of them carried out their duties as mask police. I mean, considering this is Vegas, the town where the first rule of etiquette is to mind your own business and leave others to their own devices.

In my view, with mask mandates rescinded, Vegas should see the convention business slowly return. Perhaps, they're finding out that alienating some portion of your customers, for whatever reason, may not be the best business strategy for a healthy bottom line.

allset2travel

Be interesting to see which business would continue to require masks, and how that impacts revenue!

Silver Fox

Ones that are intent on financial suicide?

Visconti

In my view, it's become pretty clear that with the mask mandate in place, convention business will plateau at around 40% pre-pandemic. While not taking any sides on the merits of the debate, I think for Vegas specifically, MGM has realized that if you lift the mask mandates, those who prefer to wear masks will still visit, especially for conventions. Conversely, for whatever reason, there is a portion who will refuse and in essence boycott them if the mask mandates remain.

Lesser of two evils is to lift them. Mind as well follow the money, since we haven't been following the science for quite a while now.

PS - Today, it's almost as if there's a celebration or something. I think 80% of both patrons and casino staff have gone unmasked. There's a bar offering a free drink and shot if you surrender your mask for them to hang up on their wall.

LETTERBOY

If I have to cancel the London trip I just booked the other day (that I've already cancelled for 2 years in a row now ), I'm going to have a hell of a good time in Vegas this year.

Silver Fox

London is pretty much open as is the rest of England and unless there is a major case of bedwetting, I don't see that changing. Apart from certain people in certain threads here the appetite is not there for any restrictions. No-one is required by law to wear masks (England), on trains and tube they ask you to but that is all they can do. Most of the staff don't. But, the obvious solution is to do both London and Vegas! The other good thing about London is that it is pretty much not that crowded as a lot of people are working from home still, and I don't think they are in a rush to start paying for season tickets again!

Visconti

While I can't speak for London, in Vegas it's almost as if the overwhelming majority--about 80%--at once just said the heck with it and shed them in unison. I can only imagine that in a small good way, this is sort of a mini-celebration similar to when Prohibition (hard for me to fathom anything so insane as banning alcohol would've garnered so much support) was repealed. I know this town very well and would like to think I've got a good handle on its pulse, and I just sensed something last week. I'm not sure if this news had been leaked (I certainly had no idea) but it's as if all at once people knew it was a good idea to gather here for Super Bowl weekend.

Can't recall a time post-pandemic where the strip was so crowded, bustling with life and free flowing drinks everywhere. In my view, the uniqueness of Vegas is that regardless of which side of the mitigation debate one happens to find himself/herself, we all felt a profound joy that, at least in this case, the Gov decided to mind his own darn business and leave us alone to do as we wish.

PS - Not that Sin City needs any more to enhance its infamous reputation, but it's been a very very long time since I've seen so many comely people (for the un PC, the word is chicks) at a single venue--as if they're tired of hiding their faces or something.

LETTERBOY

I was referring more to the requirement that vaxxed travelers have a negative COVID test before entering the United States. I'm not worried about catching COVID in and of itself, but not being able to come home would be a problem. I suspect this requirement will be gone before I make my trip, but if it's not, I'll have to decide if I'm comfortable with the risk. And I agree with you on the likelihood of any more restrictions in England. If BoJo tries to bring back any restrictions, the Tories will revolt. He may as well resign in that case (which I suspect he'll have to do anyway, but I'm getting OT here).

Believe me, if I could afford to do that, I'd do it in a heartbeat.
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Visconti

Yeah, being barred from entering one's own country is, to say the least, problematic. In my view, testing to reenter is outdated, and we should rescind this requirement too. While I have no idea what will happen, but it wouldn't surprise me if this requirement will be dropped by your trip. The great thing about our country is that, you know, when we're frustrated with something, there's the "just wait until next November," and we can voice that frustration in our, The People's House. While only speaking for myself, you can bet you're posterior they're going to hear mine.

I'm hoping the UK & France will both lax restrictions by then. I can't be the only who misses taking the Eurostar from London to Paris, something I had taken for granted.

Christine Sinclair

What the scene like in the casino's right now? Do people get kicked out if they're not wearing a mask?

LETTERBOY

I think the casinos all dropped their mask requirements almost as soon as Sisolak was done talking.

Visconti

Was there recently for a one night layover and mask compliance is probably about 5%? And, it's most assuredly an inflated 5% at that. Also, as I usually do, I walk around and have noticed for the first time in recent memory some convention activity. At the Delano, I think they were fully booked because of a few companies gathering. At the Luxor, there was a sign pointing people to Bails Bondsmen meetings. At the Bellagio, there was something for Shop or Save or Smart and Final, or something like that.

So, as expected, once the mandates lifted, they appear to be returning.