Encore Las Vegas to halt midweek operations
Encore Las Vegas has announced that it will close throughout the week until consumer demand increases.
As of October 19, the casino will operate at a reduced capacity, and will close completely on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Encore, owned by Wynn Resorts, will close its doors at noon every Monday, before reopening at 2pm every Thursday.
The decision comes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen a huge decrease in revenue right across the industry.
Latest data released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board shows that strip casino operators suffered a 39% year-on-year decline in September.
Planet Hollywood, another property in the area, has already implemented similar measures to Encore’s, and UNLV gaming historian David Schwartz says that more casinos will follow.
“With most conventions being on hiatus, we don’t have a lot of mid-week occupancy, so it makes sense to close hotels, or even the entire resort during the week,” said Schwartz.
“If the current conditions continue, we could see more properties do this.”
Governor of Nevada Steve Sisolak allowed the reopening of casinos in June, but statistics show that gambling operators are struggling in their efforts to return to revenue numbers achieved before the pandemic began.
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