Las Vegas governor extends casino shutdowns during pandemic
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hotel room lights spell out “Vegas Strong” at the Wynn hotel-casino along the Las Vegas Strip as casinos and other business are shuttered due to the coronavirus outbreak, Wednesday, in Las Vegas.
A new directive from Nevada’s Gov. Steve Sisolak calls for all of the state’s casinos to remain shuttered through April 30 (at least). Sisolak’s original 30-day mandate, issued on March 16, would have allowed the casinos to reopen on April 15, but the governor says the new directive is necessary to comply with the current guidance from federal officials. Some hotels had been accepting reservations for April 15 and beyond; those bookings will be canceled.
Sphere suspends: Construction on the MSG Sphere has been suspended due to coronavirus considerations. Consequently, it’s expected that the project won’t make its 2021 deadline; a new target has not been disclosed. It’s the second major project to suspend construction, joining The Drew.
Take-out booze: City officials have responded to restaurant requests and now allow the sale of alcohol in take-out and delivery orders. Restaurants that have a liquor license, along with those that get a temporary license for this purpose, can sell sealed bottles of beer, wine and liquor to customers who place an accompanying food order.
Magic on the web: Several Las Vegas entertainers are taking to the internet to perform and stay in touch with their audiences. One example is Mat Franco from Mat Franco — Magic Reimagined at the Flamingo, who performs on his Facebook page with new shows going up every Wednesday. The shows run close to 30 minutes and feature Franco doing some impressive close-up card maneuvers.
Question: What will happen with unredeemed sports book and slot tickets that expire during the casino closures?
Answer: They’re almost certain to be honored and probably for a long period of time after expiration, as the casinos will have to be as customer-friendly as possible when they reopen. Bring them back the next time you come to town and you should get paid. In the case of sports book tickets, you can also mail them in according to instructions on the back of the ticket.
For more information about current Las Vegas shows, buffets, coupons, and good deals, go to LasVegasAdvisor.com.
