MGM Resorts is taking the suspension of operations well and the restart even better. After opening three properties last week, and now resuming operations with the Excalibur, Aria, Mandalay Bay, Four Seasons Las Vegas, and others.
MGM Resorts will open more properties in Las Vegas after the company brought Bellagio and two other casino hotels back into exploitation last week. The restart of operation comes two months after Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak shuttered casino business in mid-March and closed all hotels and gambling venues due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Commenting on the opening move last weekend, MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle said that the company would plan to reopen more hotels and properties on the Strip throughout the summer, and based on the epidemiological situation in the country.
Even though it’s not yet the summer season, though, MGM Resorts announced yesterday, Tuesday, June 9, that the company was now planning to restart the Excalibur Hotel & Casino, another flagship property, as early as this Thursday.
The company won’t stop there, however, with the next reopening scheduled for June 25 when the Shoppes at Mandalay Bay Palace will also continue operation. The property will be joining the Luxor on June 25, followed by Aria, Mandalay Bay and Four Seasons Las Vegas shortly after, on July 1, making for a very quick return to operations.
MGM Resorts is restarting its entire range of properties with both its luxury non-casino hotels and casinos. A restart such as this may signal the company’s confidence in business returning back to normal.
Giving his reasons as to why this move has been considered and approved, Hornbuckle explained that patrons were thrilled to be back in Las Vegas and visit the various entertainment facilities owned by the company.
He similarly noted that the company is also excited to see more employees going back to work. With the MGM Resorts’ portfolio returning back to normal, there are still some properties that have not been brought up in the company’s reopening plans.
Presently, the Vdara, Delano, NoMad, Mirage and Park MGM will remain closed until further notice. Meanwhile, MGM Resorts’ main competitor, Caesars, has also restarted several properties, including Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas and Caesars Palace.
The restart of operations in Las Vegas has not been easy. A day before casinos opened on June 4, Gov. Sisolak summoned the National Guard troops to keep rioters from destroying property. People took to the street in the wake of the George Floyd arrest and murder by a Minneapolis police officer.
