Travelers on flight to Las Vegas offer thoughts on casinos reopening

BALTIMORE — The whoosh of light and sound when the casino doors opened on the Strip on Thursday didn’t spark a wave of tourists from this East Coast area heading to Las Vegas to get in on the action.

Still, there were 58 people set to board the Boeing 737-700 series aircraft that seats 175 people. And two other flights from Baltimore to Las Vegas were scheduled later Thursday.

Most people at Gate B2 were headed to Nevada to work, some to meet relatives, others had families. But there were some looking to get out, even with face masks and other precautions.

There were some who longed to be going to the land of neon.

“Vegas? I wish,” said Sidney Stanley, 24, of Chicago. She was waiting with a friend to catch a connecting flight to South Carolina.

Waiting to board Southwest Flight No. 1890 to Las Vegas was Dan, 55, of Frederick County, Maryland, who preferred to give only his first name.

He was traveling with Chuck, 40, and they were headed to Boulder City, to work on high-speed sorters used in manufacturing and shipping.

Because of their work, both have continued flying through the pandemic. “Most planes were typically empty,” Dan noted.

Chuck said that if the pair had some time, they might venture to the Strip. Dan dismissed that, citing Las Vegas protests over the death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis police custody. “I’m not going there,” he said.

‘A marathon, not a sprint’

The American Gaming Association, and travel organizations, have seen an uptick in travel and bookings to Las Vegas as states begin to relax restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic.

As officials guardedly allow people to travel, entertainment destinations in Nevada and other states are preparing to welcome paying customers back.

“We’ve seen strong interest from patrons excited to return as casinos across the country begin to reopen,” said Casey Clark, senior vice president of communications for the American Gaming Association.

Clark said the return to normalcy will “be a marathon, not a sprint, but throughout it all, gaming will continue to be central to economic recovery in communities all across the country.”

According to the AGA, 333 casinos across 23 states are open for business, more than one-third, or 33.7 percent, of the nation’s 989 casinos. That includes 98 commercial casinos and 235 tribal properties.

There are 656 casinos that still remain closed, according to the AGA. By week’s end, 47 percent of the nation’s casinos should be open.

In Nevada, 133 Nevada casinos opened Thursday, or 3 in 5 properties in the state.

Strong measures

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak, a Democrat, said the reopening of gaming properties will come with changes that include “strong mitigation measures against COVID-19.”

“Nevada is a premier travel destination, and will always be a warm and welcoming spot for visitors,” Sisolak said.

In Maryland, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan has not announced a reopening date for the state’s casinos, including Maryland Live and MGM Grand Harbor.

Regardless of where the casino openings occur, enthusiasm appears to be building.

When a Deadwood, South Dakota, casino opened last month, it reported about 15 percent to 20 percent higher revenue than a typical weekend, according to CNBC.

Pent-up demand was credited for $5 million in profit increases after Mississippi casinos opened, the Biloxi Sun Herald reported, and the Hartford Courant reported an increase in crowds last weekend with Connecticut casino openings.

Las Vegas casinos are still planning further openings. MGM Resorts International announced Excalibur will reopen June 11.

Unlike local casinos, Las Vegas is a global destination for gaming and entertainment, but the industry was crippled by the coronavirus and resulted in Nevada being the state with the highest unemployment at more than 28.8 percent.

Moving through the Baltimore airport, those heading to Las Vegas seemed in subdued spirit.

Masks were mostly worn, hand sanitizer stations were abundant and people practiced social distancing at the newstands.

There was no anxiety, just inconvenience. Only one restaurant serving alcohol was open. Several people congregated there, at distances set by health experts.

“I don’t feel cautious. I’m using my hand sanitizer and my mask,” said Haley Johnson, 25, of Chicago. She was surprised to see how empty the airport appeared at midday.

Airport security was light. With just time needed to clear the screening stations. A transportation security officer said he has noticed a small increase in traffic over the past week.

Boarding the airplane required a mask.

On Southwest Airlines Flight 1890, only a can of distilled drinking water and two bags of pretzels were handed out. You can’t get a Vegas party started on that — but you can stop the spread of a virus.

With an entire row of seats available to some passengers, it appeared safer than the grocery store.

‘Getting away’

McCarran International Airport was more active — not the way it was several months ago — but there were passengers and shops and people trying to gracefully move through the facility to get outside.

“We have rented a house with a pool and cabana. We are getting away,” said Julie Farish, 53, of San Antonio.

Although Texas has loosened coronavirus restrictions, Farish said the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, couple she and her husband were meeting in Las Vegas were ready to get outside. Farish said they planned a weekend of sun and dining, and were unlikely to hit the Strip or downtown.

The rental car bus also limited the number of passengers, allowing a more comfortable ride, although a sweltering longer wait time to board and move to the car rental facility.

Hotel check-in was crammed, but hotel personnel reassured customers that every precaution was taken to make sure things were sanitized and in order.

“Safety is my top concern when we reopen our city. Employees like me need to be tested regularly when casinos reopen,” said Nery Martinez, a bartender at Caesars Palace and the father of two.

“Casinos need to make sure they are doing everything they can to make sure workers and our families are safe and healthy,’’ Martinez said in a statement distributed by the Culinary Union.

This story has been updated to clarify that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has not yet announced a reopening date for the state’s casinos.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@gmail.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc