MGM Resorts guests in Las Vegas react to closures

Guests at MGM Resorts International properties described receiving a letter in their rooms informing them that they had to check out by Tuesday because of safety precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tom Reid of Minnesota arrived in Las Vegas at noon on Sunday, ready to spend his spring break in the warmer weather of Las Vegas.

Upon arriving in his room at Park MGM, he learned that his visit to Southern Nevada wouldn’t last long.

“There was a letter sitting there that says at midnight (Monday) they are shutting down all their casinos, and on Tuesday by noon we must check out,” Reid said on Monday morning.

Reid didn’t know what to do at first but said MGM Resorts didn’t charge him for the room. He soon got on the phone with Delta Air Lines Inc. and switched his flight without a fee to head back home to Minnesota on Monday afternoon.

“At 2 a.m. I called Delta to see if there was a flight, so I’m heading out right now,” Reid said. “So I can honestly say I did Vegas in 24 hours.”

Reid said he was shocked to see barely anyone on the streets of the Las Vegas Strip. Las Vegas Boulevard at times seemed nearly vacant by mid-morning Monday.

“It’s spooky,” Reid said. “MGM is actually shutting off all their slot machines. Never seen that before in my life, so I was taking pictures. Took some pictures of the Strip. Nobody is walking. It’s just really a weird vibe because this is not what you expect Las Vegas to be on spring break.”

Fewer than a dozen people could be seen gambling on the vast MGM Grand casino floor Monday morning. There were two people playing blackjack, four surrounding a roulette wheel and two people playing craps. About four people were playing slots, and restaurants throughout the property were empty.

MGM Resorts said Sunday it was temporarily suspending operations at all Las Vegas properties effective Tuesday. The company will not be taking reservations prior to May 1. The Las Vegas-based company operates the Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Luxor, New York-New York, Excalibur and Park MGM. It also owns 50 percent of CityCenter, which includes Aria and Vdara.

Chairman and CEO Jim Murren said the temporary closures are for “the good of our employees, guests and communities.”

“It is now apparent that this is a public health crisis that requires major collective action if we are to slow its progression,” Murren said of the pandemic. “We will plan to reopen our resorts as soon as it (is) safe to do so and we will continue to support our employees, guests and communities in every way that we can during this period of closure.”

Jeroen Fikkers of the Netherlands came to Las Vegas as part of a six-week road trip around the United States. This was his third visit to Las Vegas, and he was staying at the MGM Grand.

“Normally I go (to Las Vegas) for the parties,” Fikkers said. “I’m not much of a gambler, but every party was canceled, and this morning I got a note saying it (the MGM) was closed starting tomorrow. So, I need to go. It was strange, but I understand.”

Fikkers was not out any extra money because of the MGM’s closure. He also was not critical of the decision when considering what has happened with the skyrocketing number of COVID-19 cases spreading through Italy. Still, his weekslong trip across the U.S. appeared to be in jeopardy.

“After this I would go to San Diego and Los Angeles and San Francisco and Miami, but everything is closed as well — restaurants, bars, schools,” he said. “So maybe I need to fly back home.”

Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@review-journal.com or 702-383-0390. Follow @GlennatRJ on Twitter.