The Venetian, Palazzo closing until at least April 1; no layoffs or furloughs
Las Vegas Sands Corp. is closing The Venetian, Palazzo and the Sands Expo and Convention Center until at least April 1, effective immediately. The company said no employee layoffs or furloughs are being considered.
According to a Tuesday statement from the company, the process of closing the The Venetian and Palazzo will be completed as soon as possible. Sands will decide whether to extend the closure or reopen the megaresorts “at a later date.”
Sands team members will continue to be paid while the resorts are closed, and the closure “will not impact health care eligibility,” according to a company statement.
The company will help guests find new accommodations in Las Vegas, and customers will receive automatic refunds for reservations during the temporary closure, the company said.
As recently as Sunday, the company planned to keep The Venetian and Palazzo open. Now Sands joins MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in shuttering Strip properties to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.
“Our most important commitment is the one we have made to the health and safety of our team members and guests,” Rob Goldstein, Sands president and COO, said in the statement. “Right now, the best way to fulfill that commitment is by asking people to not come to work.”
Goldstein went on to say the company hopes the closure is short-term, but executives “are realistic it may be a prolonged event.”
Sands also announced it is donating $250,000 to help “several important local organizations” serve the Las Vegas community during the outbreak, including Three Square, Communities in Schools and Share Village Las Vegas. It also plans to donate meals and needed equipment.
Caesars Entertainment Corp., Red Rock Resorts and Boyd Gaming Corp., told the Review-Journal on Sunday that they have no plans to close their Nevada properties.
The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson.
Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.
