Question of the Day - 12 May 2020

I don't know why deep cleaning is needed on closed hotel/casinos as far as covid is concerned. They say the covid cooties don't last on a smooth surface for more then 72 hours, less on fabric etc, so if the hotel rooms and casinos have been empty for weeks why deep clean? Assuming some people walk through those areas to keep an eye on things, if those people test negative then the place should be fine. Cleaning is a much bigger deal once they reopen and people who could be contagious come in. Air filtration  would be important too, especially on the older places where the cigarette smell never quite leaves - if smoke doesn't leave what else keeps recirculating?  

Once all the casinos are allowed to reopen I'm thinking that the off-strip places like Sam's Town, Palace Station, Orleans, Tuscany, Suncoast etc may be safer. They don't get as many people from all over the world like the Strip places do. The customers at off-strip places are mainly locals with a fewer number of worldwide visitors. This is good. The places on the Strip like MGM, Wynn, Venetian, Harrah's, Caesars Palace, etc get a huge number of visitors from everywhere in the world so you're more likely to encounter someone with the c_virus. The Strip places are where the top-level shows are and most of the Strip places are huge,so it's a lot harder to keep every public surface clean. Even when the USA gets this virus situation better controlled there are lots of other countries in the world where it won't be. Visitors from those countries can fly to Las Vegas at any time, and their preferred places to stay, sightsee, eat and gamble will be on the Strip. I'd feel safer off-strip.

So basically it takes at least seven days, since casinos need submit their reopening plan at least that many days in advance.  That SHOULD be plenty of time to get things in order to welcome back players.  I'm more interested in when places like the Orleans and Tuscany will open, since those are the places my family frequents when we come to Vegas.  Probably won't be until 2021, but I am still lobbying for a late summer visit.

In my opinion, in the USA, at this point, it’s not a matter of from where the Coronavirus originates, it’s here. One comment here today commented that off the Strips are safer to visit because foreigners are limited. I beg the difference. If you frequent the two leading Boyd Casinos ( my favorites), that is not valid. However, this virus is transmitted both by Locals, as well as, Foreigners. Bottom line, all casinos need to be thoroughly cleaned daily once that they are back operating. While they closed, just the normal maintenance already established. If one can get infected from the exhaled smoke from an infected person, smoking must be prohibited inside the casinos. Masks must become mandatory for all just like the airlines are requesting.? I think that I can live with it. Just my opinion. I need the casinos clean when I arrive and not while they are closed. Once we get there, it becomes contaminated. Therefore, after has to project a better picture than before.

To the point of the original question:  If casino management had a brain they would have initiated a deep cleaning when notified of looming closure, in anticipation of eventually reopening.  Keep housekeeping staff on the payroll long enough to scrub the place down.  Put dust covers over machines and tables. Have everything spic and span when the doors are locked.  Vacuum carpets (or in some cases take that time to install new carpet).  Same for hotel rooms.