Las Vegas recovers from COVID-19 setbacks.
Las Vegas, the American casino hub, seems to be recovering from the devastating effects brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Capacity has increased from 50% to 80% since May, and casinos are set to return to full capacity in June. In March, a staggering 2.2 million visitors were recorded, breaking a revenue record from 2013. Could Las Vegas have prevailed through its most challenging crisis ever?
Hope on the Horizon
The first shutdown due to the pandemic in April 2020 marked the beginning of a grueling survival race for Las Vegas, a city renowned for its casinos, leisure facilities, entertainment, and restaurants. Completely reliant on these sectors, the city of around 640,000 in the Nevada desert faced an uphill struggle. However, Las Vegas now sees a ray of hope.
As per data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the city welcomed about 2.2 million visitors in March 2021, a considerable drop of 46% from March 2019, but a significant improvement from March 2020 (1.5 million visitors). Additionally, McCarran International Airport saw a year-on-year surge of 24.7% in passengers, clocking in at nearly 2.6 million.
With a combined revenue of nearly $1.5 billion from casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, in Downtown, and in surrounding Clark County, March 2021 saw a monthly earnings record not seen since 2013. Michael Lawton, NCGB spokesperson, highlighted that this was unexpected.
The LVCVA is a government body and official marketing agency for Nevada. This organization was established in 1955, owns the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), and handles advertising campaigns for the Clark County region where Las Vegas is based. Its Board of Directors comprises of eight elected officials and six representatives from the private sector, appointed by the Nevada Resort Association (NRA) and the Chamber of Commerce.
Slowly Inching Back to Normalcy
Thanks to the low casinos capacity of 50%, which was allowed to remain, layoffs soared in Nevada. September saw MGM Resorts sacking 18,000 employees. Since the infection numbers have dropped, capacity was increased to 80%, which included entertainment, gaming, conferences, and clubbing.
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak has announced that the city will become fully operational again starting June. With declining infections and fatalities, Las Vegas is ready to return to standard functioning and surpass its previous status. He indicated to the Las Vegas Sun that Nevada and Las Vegas have reached the end of the crisis instead of the start.
Sisolak added that the social distancing rules will be tailored to individual districts, emphasizing that each district is unique. Infection rates within communities, urban or rural focus, and vaccine distribution are factors to consider. Increasing vaccine availability at large venues is his primary objective as the governor.
Steve Hill, the LVCVA President and CEO, expressed his satisfaction. Primarily, widespread vaccine availability will enable the casino and entertainment industry to function without restrictions. Although, Las Vegas will continue to maintain the highest standards of health and hygiene protocols. Hill, thankful for Sisolak's wise approach, looks forward to achieving 100% capacity from June.
Inviting Tourists Back with a Bang
The city of Las Vegas, often deemed crisis-proof, appears to have conquered its most arduous survival battle. This summer, Las Vegas has grand plans. A campaign named "Vegas You!" by LVCVA aims to rekindle the desire for tourists to indulge in life at its crown jewel. Las Vegas is now ready to dawn its welcome mat once more.
One facet of the campaign is the commercial "The Dance", tapping into the restless energy permeating the city during the pandemic. The message is clear: nowhere else offers such freedom as Las Vegas. This is conveyed through a flurry of scenes across the casinos and leisure spots in the sparkling city.
Filmed at various locations, the ad features the Circa Resort & Casino, which had its grand opening in November 2020, amid the pandemic. Other places include the Venetian Resort Las Vegas and the Cosmopolitan. This ad will air on television and social media across the nation. A second commercial is due in late May. It remains to be seen if the intended result will be attained.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
