MGM Resorts casinos allowed to open at 100 percent capacity in Las Vegas

by Mychael Schnell - 05/12/21 2:44 PM ET

Nine MGM Resorts International casinos on the Las Vegas Strip will return to 100 percent capacity with no social distancing on gaming floors.

The Nevada Gaming Control Board approved a waiver for the casinos because of the company’s efforts to vaccinate its workforce, according to a press release from MGM Resorts.

The properties included in the waiver are the Bellagio Resort & Casino, ARIA Resort & Casino, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Park MGM, the Mirage Hotel & Casino, New York-New York Hotel & Casino, the Luxor Hotel and Casino and the Excalibur Hotel & Casino.

The waiver only covers gaming floors located in the properties. Eighty percent capacity restrictions and three-feet social distancing policies will remain in effect for nongaming floors, including at restaurants and pools, according to the company.

Mask mandates and other health and safety protocols will continue based on regulatory requirements and expert guidance, MGM Resorts said.

“This is yet another major milestone in Las Vegas’ incredible recovery and a testament to the importance of vaccination in the effort to fully reopen our community,” MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement.

“We will continue working to vaccinate as many people as possible and remain vigilant with health and safety protocols designed to protect our employees, guests and community. This vital work must continue for us to defeat this virus, and MGM Resorts is committed to doing our part to get it done,” he added.

A number of other Las Vegas casinos are open at full capacity, including Wynn Las Vegas, Encore and the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, in addition to the resort known as the Strat, according to The Associated Press.

Those properties had to show the Gaming Control Board that at least 80 percent of their employees had received at least one shot of a coronavirus vaccine, the AP reported.

MGM Resorts International announced in July that it planned to lay off a majority of workers in its entertainment and sports divisions, as restrictions put in place for the pandemic took a toll on the businesses.

The company at the time said it hoped to rehire the laid-off workers, who had been furloughed already, once it is safe to reopen entertainment and sports venues.