Caesar’s Palace, the famous Las Vegas hotel and casino, announced Wednesday that it requires people to wear masks inside all of its properties.
The new policy is a sign that casinos, the lifeblood of the city’s economy, are taking note of the growing number of coronavirus cases in Nevada.
“We promised that Caesars would continue to evaluate the latest recommendations, guidelines and medical science regarding the COVID-19 public health emergency and modify our improved health and safety protocols accordingly,” said Tony Rodio, CEO of Caesars Entertainment.
“As a result, we are immediately demanding that everyone on our properties wear masks, because scientific evidence strongly suggests that wearing masks and practicing social distancing may be the most important deterrent to spreading COVID-19 from person to person.”
The new policy applies to all employees, vendors, contractors, guests, and bystanders at Caesars Entertainment properties in Louisiana, Mississippi, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, and Indiana, as well as on tribal properties in Arizona, California, and North Carolina.
People who refuse to wear a mask will be asked to leave the premises.
The move comes as Nevada sees an increase in new coronavirus cases, adding 365 more on Wednesday alone. More than 14,300 Nevadans have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.
The highest four-day increase in a single day in the state occurred in the past week.
The Las Vegas strip was closed earlier this year to mitigate the spread of the disease, and reopened earlier this month. State and municipal governments may be cautious about closing it again given the economic benefits casinos bring to Nevada.
Twenty-four casinos on the Las Vegas Strip earned more than $ 72 million in fiscal year 2017, according to the Center for Gaming Research.
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