Seven-point health and safety plan

MGM Resorts International is planning to reopen its casino properties in Nevada by early June. It has also released a new seven-point health and safety plan for resuming operations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.?

In an interview on NBC’s Today show on Tuesday, MGM’s acting CEO and president Bill Hornbuckle announced: “If our counts stay reasonably low and things don’t escalate, we’ll be opening the casinos sometime late this month, first part of June.”

the overall Vegas experience will still be the same

Hornbuckle admitted that things will be different when casinos reopen, but he believes that the overall Vegas experience will still be the same. 

The American global hospitality and entertainment operator has been working on its safety plan with Dr Shannon Magari, the vice president for health sciences at Golden Corp. The company focuses on occupational health and safety.

New measures in place

As part of the newly released health and safety measures, all MGM workers will be fully screened before going back to work and masks will have to be worn while working.?Employees will also go through temperature screening each time they enter an MGM property. A six-foot social distancing policy will be in place wherever possible at all facilities.?

six-foot social distancing policy will be in place wherever possible

MGM will also be strongly encouraging all patrons to wear a mask when they are in a public area of one of the company’s properties. Guests will be asked questions about their potential exposure to coronavirus. If this appears likely, staff will advise guests to fully follow the self-quarantine guidelines provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.?

An extensive set of incident response protocols will be followed when patrons become sick at an MGM facility to contain the situation and provide medical treatment.

incident response protocols will be followed when patrons become sick

The properties themselves will also undergo modifications to help ensure the safety of staff and guests. Protections such as plexiglass will be erected around the lobbies and casino floors. Social distancing will be ensured through table game seating limitations and the deactivation of every other slot machine.

Sanitization protocols will be greatly enhanced and the HVAC systems will be made more efficient.?Digital processes will be used wherever possible, including for checking in, room keys, and viewing restaurant menus.

Reopening a gradual process

Other casino companies in Nevada have released similar health and safety plans in recent days ahead of planned post-coronavirus reopenings in June. This includes Las Vegas Sands and Caesars Entertainment.

The state does have a gradual reopening plan in place to get the likes of casinos back in operation. Nevada relies heavily on tourism and gaming revenue, so it will be keen to get back up and running as soon as possible once proper health and safety policies are in place.?

To date, 6,152 people in Nevada have been confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus, with 312 recorded deaths.