Casino dominos continue to topple. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is the latest Las Vegas Strip casino to close thanks to Covid-19, “temporarily.” (Well, none of the closures has been permanent but there are different degrees of 
temporary-ness, MGM Resorts International‘s being the most radical.) Meanwhile, the damage continues to radiate through the regional gaming industry. Here’s a helpful chart—helpful unless you’re color-blind, like us. Add MGM Grand Detroit, MGM Springfield and Beau Rivage to the list of flagship regional properties that have gone dark. There was some belated solicitude for the workforce at Las Vegas Sands, which said it would provide flex time for employees who need to be with their children: “The health, safety and livelihood of our team members and their families is our most important consideration right now … The company is not considering layoffs or any changes to any of our existing health care benefit plans. Our team members are our most valuable asset, and we have every intention of getting through this challenging situation together.” Bravo, Sands.
After waffling for a couple of (precious?) days on the issue, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) ordered Atlantic City casinos shuttered, saying, “It is no longer time for business as usual. This is real. Stop believing folks who say this isn’t real.” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) vowed that Nutmeg State casinos would close but it’s an empty promise because that decision is solely the province of Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun. (Tribal sovereignty’s a bitch, huh, Ned?) Mohegan Sun said it was modifying operations and pondering “difficult decisions” on the issue. Foxwoods is doing a deep clean, while shutting down parts of its considerable casino floor.
In Michigan, both MotorCity and Greektown Casino have been ordered to close. All New York State ones have also been commanded to go dark 
(which will only increase the yelps for tax relief coming from upstate but that’s a story for another day), with the tribal ones joining in a voluntary, 14-day moratorium. Some Michigan tribal casinos remain open, while Gun Lake Casino jumped the gun, as it were, shutting down even before Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) recommended it. Mississippi private-sector casinos went dark at midnight yesterday and Louisiana ones have been idled for at least 14 days. (Again, this does not apply to Native American gambling halls.) March gaming revenues are basically going to be one big-ass write-off.
Wind Creek Casino in Alabama is being rather reckless. A guest tested positive for Coronavirus but Wind Creek only closed for a day, to do a 
deep cleaning, and declared that adequate. (Gov. Kay Ivey [R] must be having fits and understandably so.) California‘s myriad tribal casinos are taking a varied approach, with at least six bands (including the owners of Harrah’s Rincon) biting the bullet. While these may seem like radical reactions to the pandemic, Gov. Whitmer (pictured) said it best: “We know that’s where masses of people congregate. There is a lot of close contact in a casino … that’s why it’s front and center in a lot of places across the country.”
There was no comfort to be had for the casino industry from National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, who said, ‘‘I think Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing.” That’d be pretty significant.
Fears of Coronavirus are playing hob with the Las Vegas restaurant industry. José Andres has closed his three of his four restaurants. Ditto 
Giada de Laurentiis. At least those guests to whom Caesars Entertainment is trying to market with reduced room fees will have more than a few places to eat. Caesars is also taking advantage of the shutdowns to renovate the Bacchanal Buffet. It’s keeping its underperforming Ferris wheel in operation, even though you couldn’t pay us to ride it these days. (Nothing like being in a hermetically sealed globe with a bunch of strangers.) We can’t decide if CEO Anthony Rodio has brass balls or is being foolhardy.
* Take heart, Las Vegas Raiders fans: Tom Brady is leaving the New England Patriots, destination unknown.
