Linq casino, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Aria set to reopen

MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment Corp. on Tuesday announced reopening plans that will expand hotel and casino capacity in the city.

In separate news releases, MGM said it would open Luxor and The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay Place on June 25, and Mandalay Bay and its Four Seasons and Aria properties on July 1, while Caesars said it would open the gaming floor at The Linq Hotel on Friday. The Linq’s parking garage and hotel will remain closed.

Both resort companies, the two largest operators on the Strip, opened properties on Thursday, the first date casinos were allowed to be open after 78 days of closures statewide ordered by Gov. Steve Sisolak as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Nevada.

Caesars Entertainment had opened Caesars Palace, Flamingo and Harrah’s Las Vegas, while MGM operated Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand and its MGM Grand Signature properties.

“It has been a pleasure to welcome guests and team members back to some of our properties in Las Vegas and in other parts of the country,” said Caesars CEO Tony Rodio. “We are encouraged by customer interest and visits, strong demand and the implementation, so far, of our enhanced health and safety protocols.”

Rodio, who participated in a grand reopening ceremony at Caesars Palace with Wayne Newton on Thursday, said adding The Linq gaming floor, food and beverage amenities, as well as The Linq pool, in addition to expanded amenities at Caesars Palace and Harrah’s, “are the next steps towards resuming normal business operations in Las Vegas.”

“It was exciting and emotional to see the energy in Las Vegas last week as we welcomed back our employees and reopened our doors to guests for the first time in months,” said Bill Hornbuckle, MGM’s acting CEO and president. “Our guests are having a great time and are thrilled to be back in the city they love. We are eager to get more of our employees back to work and enhance the Las Vegas experience with additional resorts.”

Hornbuckle was on hand at Bellagio when that property opened its doors on Thursday.

Luxor and The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay Place will open their doors at 10 a.m. on June 25, a Thursday.

The July 1 reopening of Mandalay Bay, Four Seasons and Aria will occur at 11 a.m., just ahead of a three-day Fourth of July weekend. The public holiday will be observed Friday, July 3.

The gaming floor at The Linq Hotel will open at 11 a.m., on Friday.

When the reopenings announced Tuesday are completed, MGM will have The Mirage, Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas and the nongaming Delano and Vdara properties left to open. Excalibur is scheduled to reopen Thursday.

Caesars Entertainment will have Planet Hollywood, Bally’s, Paris Las Vegas, The Cromwell and the off-Strip Rio still unopened.

MGM shares fell $1.70, 7.2 percent, to $22.06 a share on average trading volume Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange.

Caesars shares were off 25 cents, 2 percent, to $12.14 a share on volume about half the daily average Tuesday on the Nasdaq exchange.

Both companies’ announcements came after the markets had closed.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.