Las Vegas Bellagio casino worker tests positive for coronavirus
The COVID-19 diagnosis came before the kitchen staffer reported to work Wednesday
A Las Vegas casino is closed after an employee there tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The Mayfair Supper Club at Bellagio, where the worker served on the kitchen staff, was last open Sunday before it temporarily shut down out of caution. The employee received the diagnosis before reporting into work Wednesday, according to the Las Vegas Journal-Review.
LAS VEGAS CASINOS LIGHT BACK UP TO 'PENT-UP DEMAND'
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BX | BLACKSTONE INC. | 118.41 | -1.87 | -1.55% |
| MGM | MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL | 42.42 | +0.37 | +0.88% |
An MGM Resorts International spokesperson told FOX Business that the venue will be “sanitizing the work area and determining who they may have come in contact with for both tracing and testing.”
As far as when the site will reopen, the company said a decision is “forthcoming.”
AS STATES EASE CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS, YOUNG GAMBLERS COULD FLOCK TO CASINOS
The shutdown comes as venues throughout the United States are starting to reopen with COVID-19 safety practices. For its part, MGM said it will offer on-site testing for guests who present symptoms.
It also comes are more people across the country are looking to hit the slots. A May report from Las Vegas-based software firm Synergy Blue found 62 percent of U.S. gamblers ages 29 and younger said they would return to casinos as soon as stay-at-home orders are lifted.
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Other brands operating in the pandemic could shed more light on what the new normal could look like. Shopping mall operator Simon Property Group, for example, said it would limit store hours, reduce foot traffic, provide face covers and encourage social distancing.
Bellagio is owned by The Blackstone Group and run by MGM. Shares of Blackstone are up 28 percent on the year, and while MGM shares have jumped 140 percent in the last 3 months, they are down about 33 percent on the year.