Cosmopolitan to close Wednesday, citing coronavirus

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is temporarily closing, the latest hotel-casino on the Strip to shut down over fears of the spreading coronavirus.

Management said in a statement Monday night that “the health and safety of our guests and employees is always our primary focus,” so it decided “to temporarily cease all operations” as of 6 p.m. Wednesday through the end of the month.

“Starting immediately, we will initiate an orderly departure for our in-house guests over the next 48 hours,” the statement said, adding the Cosmopolitan “will continue to offer full pay and benefits to full-time and eligible employees” through March 31.

Las Vegas is rapidly shutting down as people quickly cut back on air travel and big gatherings because of the new virus, sparking waves of canceled conventions, casino closures and other shutdowns around the valley.

The fallout is upending daily life in Southern Nevada and threatening the foundation of the local economy: a place where tourists and conventioneers fly in from around the country and world to gamble, party, eat, shop and network, sometimes in tight quarters.

No one from the Cosmopolitan, owned by New York financial giant The Blackstone Group, was available for an interview, a representative said.

Its pending closure follows similar announcements from rivals.

Casino giant MGM Resorts International said Sunday it will suspend operations at its Las Vegas properties “until further notice” by Tuesday, and Wynn Resorts said it will temporarily close Wynn Las Vegas and Encore for an expected two weeks starting Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment Corp. suspended live, ticketed entertainment through the end of the month, and Sahara Las Vegas said the virus’ impact has forced the hotel-casino to make “drastic cuts” to its operations.

Contact Eli Segall at esegall@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0342. Follow @eli_segall on Twitter.