There are the main players then there are those shaking up the game. She has one big thing going for her, though: a $4 billion pot of money from Congress that was essential to clinching a short-term deal this spring to head off the near-term crisis. But she’s got a fine line to walk for the Biden administration, which is keenly aware of the political implications of federal dictates in swing states like Arizona. Issued an ultimatum last summer, when reservoir levels were careening towards crisis points, and eventually put legal teeth behind her threat to intervene unilaterally.

The tourism industry shut down almost completely, with all casino resorts closing for April and May because of the pandemic.Īccording to statistics from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, visitor traffic in June 2020 was 70% lower than what it was in June 2019, despite several gaming properties gradually reopening earlier in the month.Presidential administrations of all stripes have preferred the states take the lead in negotiations over the river, but Touton, the Bureau of Reclamation commissioner, hasn’t been afraid to wield federal power. Though no other casino companies have committed to making resorts permanently nonsmoking at this time, many resorts temporarily have banned smoking as the industry continues to fight to limit the spread of Covid-19.Ģ020 certainly has been a difficult one for Las Vegas. MGM Resorts’ move could even spur other casino companies to follow a similar strategy. Stutz, who also serves as executive editor of gambling industry trade publication CDC Gaming Reports, predicted there likely will be some pushback from smokers and smokers’ rights groups, but said he expects the move to stick.

“So many other gaming markets, notably Maryland, are nonsmoking.” “For Park MGM and NoMad, the timing now due to Covid-19 health and safety guidelines seems right,” Stutz wrote in an email. Just in case people didn't already get the message.

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