Boyd Gaming chief

Eldorado Casino Closed Through June 2021?

Just south of Las Vegas in Henderson, Boyd Gaming is requesting to keep their Eldorado Casino closed until June of next year. In order to do so, they have asked the Henderson City Council to place their licenses in non-operational status. Boyd Gaming is requesting to remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to documents filed with Henderson City Council, Eldorado Casino will request gaming licenses to be placed in non-operational status during Tuesday’s council meeting, FOX5 reports. If approved, the casino would be able to keep its licenses while remaining closed through June 2021. Boyd is not the…

US Players Looking for Cashless Casino Options

A new report from the Innovation Group has found changing player perceptions and behaviors around casinos. One such change directly ties to the Coronavirus pandemic is the interest in new technologies such as cashless casino  payments. Casino players apparently want cashless options with 86% of respondents expressing concern regarding concerns about COVID-19 from handling cash at the casino. Nearly 75% of all respondents indicated that they were “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to use cashless payments if available, and one-third said they’d be “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to visit a casino that offered cashless gaming. The Innovation Group conducted…

Can Las Vegas Survive Without Conventions?

There is worry in Nevada about how Coronavirus has slowed tourism, and a major component in creating tourism is conventions. So can Las Vegas survive without trade shows dumping millions into the economy? Major gaming and resort companies like the Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts, and Wynn Resorts all emphasized on second quarter earnings calls that the convention business is a cash cow. And in the face of COVID-19 the loss of that vital business line has put the city in a bad spot. June was the third consecutive month without convention attendance. While that is largely tied to Nevada…

Some Vegas Casinos & Hotels Remain Closed

It’s been over two months since Las Vegas casinos and resorts reopened… well, some of them did. And some remain closed with promises of opening again in the future. But what does that mean exactly? Several of the most popular Vegas destinations remain dark, including The Mirage, Park MGM, The Cromwell, Planet Hollywood Resort, Rio, and the Palms. Additionally, the The Linq is not taking hotel reservations. It’s not just the big names either. Many of the popular off-Strip properties are also still closed, such as Texas Station, Fiesta Henderson, Fiesta Rancho, Eastside Cannery, Main Street Station, and Eldorado Casino….

Nevada Governor Signs COVID-19 Legislation

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has signed COVID-19 legislation that will increase workplace safety the states hotel and casino employees. Additionally, it will protect businesses that are follow the health directives from frivolous Coronavirus lawsuits. MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle said the new law protects Nevada’s largest economic engine. The law comes a month after MGM Resorts International and the Culinary Union Local 226 agreed to drop MGM Resorts from a federal lawsuit and enter talks about safety concerns. The American Gaming Association welcomed the signage of Senate Bill 4 into law. “The AGA and our members applaud the bipartisan effort…

Vegas Tourism Down 70% After June Reopen

We waited and waited for Sin City to reopen, only to watch Las Vegas tourism plunge by 70% in June. Following a 78 day closure, the reopening on June 4th found hotel occupancy hurt by capacity restrictions and general fear from travelers that they might contract the virus when visiting or flying. Brent Pirosch, director of gaming consulting with the Global Gaming Group, said “The June visitation numbers were relatively good considering how challenging air travel is. The total number of passengers was nearly half of what it was in March, where March was effectively just half a month.” The…

Circa Las Vegas to Feature “No Contact” Technology

The brand new Circa Las Vegas Casino, down on the famous Las Vegas Fremont Street, will have extensive no contact technology and services throughout when it opens late this October. The 25-story, 777 room “adults only” resort will feature technology from Intelity. The no contact experience at Circa will include mobile check-in and mobile key, as well as a fleet of 10-inch tablets that will enable contactless service and give guests digital control over their stays. Guests will be able to skip the front desk and check in directly from their smartphones, but will also be able to use the…

Tropicana Las Vegas Reopen Delay

Although things are technically still on schedule for a September 1st, 2020 Tropicana Las Vegas reopen, the CEO of  their parent company is not so sure. Last week he alluded to the fact that the resort might not be able to open by the date they planned. Penn National Gaming has now stated that there is the possibility that the opening date could be delayed based on market conditions. Like other casino properties in Nevada, Tropicana closed operations per state mandate in mid-March out of concern about the spread of the Coronavirus. “We plan right now to open the Tropicana…