MGM Resorts International said Thursday that it will be resuming normal operations of three of its casinos in Las Vegas that were forced to reduce their hours due to the coronavirus pandemic.
MGM said that the casinos and hotels will be resuming normal 24/7 operations starting March 3.
The Nevada-based company said that the properties that will resume normal operations will be its Mandalay Bay luxury resort and casino, Polynesian-themed The Mirage casino resort, and its Park MGM megaresort hotel and casino. All of the three properties are located along the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada.
The company's chief executive officer and president, Bill Hornbuckle, said in a written statement that the decision was made to resume normal operations given the improving travel and tourism sentiment. Hornbuckle said that the seven-day average of new coronavirus cases has already dropped to its lowest point since October.
"We remain optimistic about Las Vegas' recovery and our ability to bring employees back to work as business volumes allow us to do so," Hornbuckle said.
MGM Resorts said that the ongoing mass vaccinations have given it confidence in the tourism industry's recovery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 56 million vaccines have already been administered nationwide.
The company said that if the situation continues to improve, it will eventually be returning several of its live stage shows. MGM plans to resume the shows later this month at the earliest or next month at the latest.
MGM Resorts said that they will be implementing a "seven-point safety plan" to protect its employees and guest from the coronavirus. The plan includes the strict imposition of regulations such as social distancing, mask-wearing, and mandatory hand washing.
Nevada authorities gave casinos and hotels the green light to reopen in June. However, most operators chose to remain closed to reduce operating hours as visitors were slow to return to the city. For most of last year, establishments along the Las Vegas Strip opened only on weekends or on limited schedules.
According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, only about 19 million people visited the city in 2020. This was a 55% decrease when compared to the city's visitors in 2019.
