77°F
weather icon Mostly Cloudy

Las Vegas Strip casinos will miss Memorial Day crowds this year

Updated May 19, 2020 - 8:33 am

After weeks of targeting Memorial Day weekend for their reopening, various Las Vegas resorts have pushed back their initial booking date as they wait for guidance from the state and local regulators.

Wynn Resorts Ltd., for instance, is now tentatively accepting reservations starting June 1. CEO Matt Maddox had said during an April 29 business roundtable with President Donald Trump that he hoped to open on Memorial Day if benchmarks were met.

In late April, spokesman Michael Weaver said the company was accepting reservations beginning that weekend “because it has consistently been a popular time for Southern California tourists to visit Las Vegas. … We can have all of our protective guest and employee measures in place by that time.”

Last year, the three-day weekend was projected to bring in more than 300,000 people.

While other states, including neighboring Arizona, have started to see some casinos reopen, Gov. Steve Sisolak and the Nevada Gaming Control Board have yet to announce an official reopening date for casinos.

Here’s a roundup of dates some Las Vegas operators are beginning to take reservations, as of Monday afternoon:

■ Treasure Island: May 26; the company had offered rooms starting May 22 the week prior.

■ South Point: May 26.

■ Downtown Grand: May 29.

■ Circus Circus: May 31.

■ Caesars Entertainment Corp.: May 29, pushed back from a booking date starting May 22 the week prior. “We have continued to move the initial booking date to ensure we have reservations when we reopen but to give customers ample notice when we will be unable to honor their reservations,” spokesman Richard Broome said.

■ Wynn Resorts Ltd.: June 1. The company had previously offered stays beginning May 26.

■ MGM Resorts International: June 1.

■ Boyd Gaming Corp.: June 1. The company had previously offered reservations beginning May 22.

■ Station Casinos: June 1.

■ The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas: June 4. “We still await a confirmed reopening date under the guidance of Governor Sisolak and the Nevada Gaming Control Board, and look forward to announcing our reopening timeline soon,” spokeswoman Stephanie Capellas said.

■ Las Vegas Sands Corp.: June 1. After weeks of not allowing bookings on its website, the company began accepting reservations Tuesday for The Venetian beginning June 1.

■ Westgate: June 18. “We are watching for further guidelines from Governor Sisolak, and it is possible that the date could change,” spokesman Gordon Prouty said.

Representatives for Wynn, MGM, Boyd and Station Casinos declined to comment. Representatives for Downtown Grand, Treasure Island and Circus Circus did not respond to a request for comment.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian and Palazzo.

Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
 
Do Nevadans support smoke-free casinos? New poll gives insight

A new poll looks at whether voters would support a potential law that made all workplaces in Nevada, including casinos, completely smoke free while indoors. Unions also weigh in.