Park MGM reopens early; Power play at Scientific

MGM Resorts International had mooted as late as an end-of-the-year target for resuming business at Park MGM. However, the date has been advanced to Sept. 30 and, yes, Park MGM will be smoke-free. In a subplot, Four Seasons reopens five days earlier. MGM is neither making heavy weather of the smokeless-casino novelty nor playing coy about it. Says Anton Nikodemus, prexy of the company’s Las Vegas casinos, “As we looked toward our reopening, we identified an opportunity to be responsive to recurring guest demand for a fully non-smoking casino resort on The Strip.” We don’t know how heavy the demand was but reckon it must have been substantial for MGM to respond in this fashion. It also gives Park MGM a truly unique market niche, an appealing one for many of us. The proof won’t be in the pudding for a few quarters but we’re keeping our fingers crossed and wishing Park MGM the best in its new incarnation. No word on the Park Theater yet but casino executives are probably having the existential discussion of whether to bring back entertainment as a loss-leader or not at all … until Covid-19 is vanquished.