Gaming resort sweetened staff vaccination deal
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has joined two Wynn Resorts Ltd casinos in a return to 100% capacity after the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) gave it the green light over the weekend.
Following confirmation by board officials on Tuesday, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak took to Twitter to congratulate The Cosmopolitan on its breakthrough. He praised the Vegas Strip casino for its “creative approach to incentivize health & safety within their workforce”:
The hotel-casino encouraged its staff to get vaccinated with a financial sweetener. According to a report by TV station KTNV Las Vegas on April 13, the Paradise, Nevada-based casino resort said it would “pay up to $1 million in cash bonuses if 80% of its workforce receives their first dose by May 1.”
The clincher for The Cosmopolitan’s return to full capacity was it demonstrating to Nevada regulators that a minimum of 80% of its employees have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Three-of-a-kind for Strip casinos
The NGCB also gave two Wynn Resorts Strip casino properties, Encore Las Vegas and Wynn Las Vegas, the thumbs up to raise their capacities to 100%, starting May 3. According to the Las Vegas Sun, Wynn has vaccinated almost 90% of its workforce.
All three 100-percenter Strip casinos can now also lift social distancing requirements and ditch the clear plastic screens from gambling tables.
casinos can now also lift social distancing requirements and ditch the clear plastic screens
President and CEO of The Cosmopolitan, William McBeath, stated that: “We believe the only clear path to normalcy and bringing our entire workforce back is through vaccinations.” He added that the shots drive wasn’t just important for his operation, but also to “our entire industry in ensuring travel can safely return.”
NGCB chairman J. Brin Gibson praised The Cosmopolitan via a board statement for its “smart and swift action”.
Imminent return to full capacity in other states
It’s not only good news in Nevada. On April 3, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy indicated that casinos in the state will return to 100% capacity starting May 19.
Gov. Murphy’s announcement followed suit with New York State and Connecticut, who also both broke news on Monday of their home-state casinos returning to 100% capacity.