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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chrystal Irwin struggles to lock up her place of business after all casinos in the state were ordered to shut down due to the coronavirus Wednesday in Las Vegas.
As unbelievable as it may sound, Las Vegas has shut down almost completely.
Last week Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak ordered all nonessential businesses in the state to close for 30 days. Included are all casinos, bars, restaurants, hotels, health clubs, beauty salons, malls and gas stations. All gaming machines in the entire state were also turned off.
As a result, for the first time ever, Las Vegas is closed. Restaurants are allowed to offer delivery and take-out service. Essential businesses — including grocery stores, pharmacies, medical facilities, transportation services and banks — continue to operate.
The situation will be evaluated at the end of the 30-day period.
As a city, Las Vegas is experiencing pretty much the same things that are occurring in the rest of the country, including runs on grocery stores, school closings and “social distancing” impositions.
Draft down: Along with casino closures, several major events have been canceled. Most notable is the NFL draft, which was scheduled for late April. Even if the casinos are back open by then, the draft will not be held in Las Vegas this year.
WSOP schedule: Another high-profile event that may be canceled, but hasn’t been yet, is the 51st World Series of Poker at the Rio. Assuming this show goes on, the second-annual Big 50 tournament, which attracted more than 28,000 entrants in its inaugural year, will launch with four starting flights on May 28; the $50,000 buy-in “Poker Players Championship” will begin June 22; and the Main Event will run July 1 to 14.
Question: How will the timetables of the big projects under construction in Las Vegas be affected by the shutdown?
Answer: Possibly not at all. No restrictions were put on major construction projects, which include the expanded Las Vegas Convention Center, Allegiant Stadium, The Sphere, Resorts World Las Vegas, The Drew and Circa.
For more information about current Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons, and good deals, go to LasVegasAdvisor.com.
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