MGM plans safety rules, to open by next month

Mask use for drinkers, no floor meals advised

MGM Resorts International said Tuesday it plans to reopen its Southern Nevada resort properties by early June and released a seven-point safety plan.

“If our counts stay reasonably low and things don’t escalate, we’ll be opening the casinos sometime late this month, first part of June,” MGM’S acting CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said during an interview on NBC’S “Today” show.

The plan, developed after consulting with Dr. Shannon Magari, vice president of health sciences for Colden Corp., an occupational health, safety and environmental firm, will require MGM employees to be screened and to wear masks while on the job.

Guests will be “strongly encouraged” to wear masks in public areas and will be asked questions about their exposure to the virus. If they believe they’ve been exposed, they will be urged to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for self-quarantine and not travel.

“Vegas done safely, I think, is still Vegas. … It will be different, but we still think it will be meaningful, we still think people can come enjoy pools, resorts, fine dining, but we think we can do it in a safe manner,” Hornbuckle said.

MGM’S seven-point safety plan includes:

Screening, temperature checks and employee training

The company has implemented employee-screening measures to assess signs and symptoms of infection and whether the employee resides with or cares for someone who

has recently been diagnosed with the virus. Employees will continue to go through temperature checks before entering properties.

Masks

They’ll be required of employees and will be offered for free to guests. Gloves will continue to be worn by employees who require them to do their jobs, including food handlers and employees who clean public areas. Experts are being consulted on the use of other personal protective equipment for some employees. Guests will be asked not to eat on the casino floor and to minimize the amount of time they remove their masks to drink.

Physical distancing

A 6-foot physical distancing policy will be in place, where feasible, with floor guides serving as reminders throughout the properties. Plexiglass barriers and other eye protection will be installed in areas throughout casinos and lobbies. Guidelines established by gaming regulators will be applied on casino floors with limited

seating at table games, every other slot machine deactivated and other seats removed from in front of machines.

Incident response protocols

If a guest becomes sick while visiting, the company will activate incident response protocols to ensure the infected individual has access to medical treatment, exposed areas are thoroughly sanitized and, when possible, those who may have come in close, prolonged contact with the infected individual are notified. MGM has medical and security personnel on staff to respond quickly in the event of an incident.

Digital innovations

The company is continuing to explore touch-free processes for check-ins and restaurant reservations with the MGM Resorts mobile app and the use of a cellphone.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @Rickvelotta on Twitter.