Notes from hither and yon

In an effort to stay ahead of Coronavirus, resorts in Las Vegas are bringing back a chilled-out version of the traditional pool party. Some will require reservations for admission, and non-guests will have to book daybeds and cabañas. Out: DJs. In: ambient music. (Except at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, home of poolside bottle service, too.) Not that this is deterring customers; long lines have been seen outside the few pool parties in operation. Down for the count all year is Tao Beach at Venelazzo, undergoing a major renovation. That’s one way to make lemonade from lemons. How successful casinos will be at tamping down their pool parties remains very much too be seen. Old customer habits die hard.

* It used to be traditional, when flying to Las Vegas, to start partying on the airplane. No longer. Not only have face masks become mandatory when flying the germ-friendly skies but alcohol sales may be on the way out, too. They’ve already been banned on American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Reports MSN, “It’s part of a widespread revision of the industry’s food and drink service to minimize interaction between crew and passengers and to ensure a safer journey for all.” Virgin Atlantic is being somewhat ‘george’ by issuing all travelers care packages of sanitizer, wipes and face masks. You can still get water, sure cure for the that bane of the airline passenger, jet lag.

* Caesars Entertainment is determined to cram people into the Vegas High Roller, no matter what it takes. “What” happens to be a BOGO offer for Father’s Day. Buy a ticket to the tedious Ferris wheel, Dad rides free. Even at that price the High Roller has to be the most overhyped attraction in town … unless you like studying the swastika-like layout of Imperial Palace, er, The Linq. Oh, seniors, servicemen, locals and students are eligible for High Roller discounts. Everybody but John Q. Tourist, it seems.

* Speaking of Caesars promos, it’s incentivizing tourists to ‘buy in bulk.’ Book three days at Harrah’s Las Vegas or the Flamingo. The lure is a free Wednesday night if you stay Sunday-Tuesday or Thursday-Saturday. Caesars, however, is not being so ‘george’ as to waive the Wednesday-night resort fee. One must have principles. Book before June 30 or the deal is gone.

* Indoor smoking is still a no-no at Mohegan Sun, along with poker and buffet dining. However the resort, which opened far sooner than Gov. Ned Lamont (D) wanted it to, continues apace with resumptions, which include myriad restaurants, the comedy club and the race book, which will reopen in time for June 20’s Belmont Stakes. More hotel rooms are coming on line, too. “Restaurants and bars will reduce seating to allow for physical distancing during dining. Tables at restaurants will also not be set until guests arrive and signage will be present after a table is disinfected before a new seating,” says management, which urges senior citizens to stay away for the time being.

* By contrast, Hard Rock Atlantic City doesn’t know *when* it will reopen but it’s got an idea of the “how.” CEO Jim Allen announced a “Safe + Sound” regimen. It includes mandatory masks for guests and employees, temperature checks for all, an HVAC upgrade and a partnership with AtlantiCare for such things as contact tracing. Hard Rock will deploy 200 hand-sanitizing stations in high-traffic areas “such as valet, porte cochere, reception areas, hotel lobby, casino floor, restaurant entrances, meeting and convention spaces, elevator landings, pools, and exercise areas.” Thermal screenings will be used to check for guests manifesting body temperatures of 100.4 Fahrenheit or higher. There will be a 100-member Clean Team, recognizable by their green uniforms, who “will focus especially on the deep cleaning of all gaming surfaces, chips, hotel rooms, restaurants, pool and public areas.” A thousand new air filters have been installed and fresh air will be pumped into the property 10-12 times per hour. Other, manifold safety measures are already familiar from Las Vegas. Allen is to be warmly congratulated for taking an aggressive lead for Atlantic City when it comes back.

Jottings: As if realizing that its pandemic reputation needed redemption, the Sahara is offering table games by reservation-only. It’s a noble experiment, whether it succeeds or not … What if Jacksonville lost its entire hotel inventory? Something on that scale may be about to happen in New York City, where 20% of hotels may not reopen. At all. That’s 25,000 rooms off the market. It’s a good thing Manhattan casino megaresorts are still several years in the future, in the city that never sleeps.