Wear that mask!

The Culinary Union applauded the NGCB’s action, saying “This is great news for dealers who will be better protected now, but it’s not enough.” Why not? Queried Secretary-Treasurer Geoconda Argüello-Kline, “What about the rest of the tens of thousands of hospitality workers? The Culinary Union demands that casinos and hotels implement the same face covering mandate for visitors interacting with bartenders, cocktail servers, food servers, bell persons, porters, guest room attendants, cashiers, and other customer-facing positions.” Argüello-Kline cited Southern Nevada Acting Chief Health Officer Dr. Fermin Leguen to the effect that the onus of risk is being placed on employees. She added, “The Culinary Union also demands the NV Gaming Control Board adopt the recommendations by the Southern Nevada Health District with respect to requiring face coverings by all persons in public, as well as mandatory and regular testing of all frontline employees in casino hotels.”

Reports Vegas Eater, “The [NGCB] also says that musical performances, live entertainment, concerts, competitions, sporting events, and any events with live performances may resume, but have to remain closed for public attendance, and the board must approve events before they take place.” This marks a retreat from a position that allowed Fremont Street Experience to hold open-air concerts. Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) was not amused.

Incidentally, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell cited Nevada (and its 28% unemployment rate) as the poster child for further economic stimulus, calling it “Ground Zero” for recovery. Citing this week’s spike, he told the U.S. Senate, “If they work in Nevada in the travel and entertainment industry, there just aren’t going to be jobs … some form of support for those people going forward, in my view, is likely to be appropriate.”

* To the south, with Covid-19 on the rampage—and Gov. Doug Ducey (R) in a state of paralysis—Gila River Hotels & Casinos took the initiative of closing three properties: Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte and Vee Quiva. This comes as a Lone Butte security guard tested positive for Coronavirus two weeks after the casino reopened and subsequently died. “There was no social distancing as he explained to me, there was no active sanitation,” said his family, which suggests that Gila River has some ‘splainin’ to do. It will continue paying employees during the latest closure. Desert Diamond Casinos shut down one of its outlying properties as a “precautionary” measure after an employee tested positive. Coronavirus has been accelerating in Arizona, going from 30,000 cases a week ago to 40,000 this week. We shan’t be planning any vacations there soon.

* On a happier note, Lettuce Entertain You has dropped its “optional” Covid-19 surcharge at three Las Vegas Strip restaurants, a tacky tack-on. The tipping point seems to have been a memo from the Nevada Department of Taxation that the surcharge would be subject to tax, making it more than a 4% impost. Whatever the case, we shall borrow a line from Stewie Griffin and proclaim “Victory is mine!”

* Congratulations to Vegas PBS for winning three 2020 Telly Awards. One of them went to a Nevada Week episode, “Gaming as an Export,” a subject on which Vegas is expert.