Las Vegas Among the First Major U.S. Cities to Reopen for Business

June 15, 2020

Las Vegas officially welcomed back guests in early June after more than two months of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking care to comply with directives from Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, the Nevada Gaming Control Board and public health authorities — including guidelines set by the CDC and WHO — the city is among the first to strongly promote its reopening to travelers.

“Las Vegas is a city built on hospitality, and we are thrilled to open our doors on June 4 and welcome visitors from around the country,” said Steve Hill, president and CEO, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “While our restaurants, pools and resorts will once again welcome guests, the health and wellbeing of those guests continues to be our top priority.”

Things might look a little different for the time being, he added, with some changes to operations. But the fact that Las Vegas properties are open again is big news, and comes with a few surprises: like many resorts offering free parking, for example. Take a look at what’s developing:

Las Vegas Convention Center

The 3.2-million-square-foot facility is among the first convention centers in the nation to pursue the GBAC STAR accreditation focused on cleaning, disinfection and infection disease prevention. To achieve this, facilities must demonstrate compliance with the program’s 20 elements, including standard operating procedures and emergency preparedness and response measures.

“We’re grateful to the GBAC STAR program for creating the industry’s only outbreak prevention, response and recovery accreditation, and we’re proud to be among the first wave of leaders to pursue this accreditation,” said Brian Yost, chief operating officer for the LVCVA. “Demonstrating compliance will be an important step toward showing the world that Vegas means business, and when the time is right, the Las Vegas Convention Center stands ready to welcome our business travelers back.”

As of mid-June, the first conferences scheduled to take place at LVCC are planned for August — including ASD Market Week, Aug. 2-5, and Crossroads of the West Gun Show, Aug. 8-9. National Hardware Show is slated for Sept. 1-3, and GlassBuild America is scheduled for mid-September.

Caesars Entertainment

Caesars Palace, Flamingo and Harrah’s all resumed operations last week, as did several retail and dining outlets, including The LINQ Promenade and High Roller Observation Wheel. Harrah’s reopened to particular fanfare, debuting a $200 million transformation that renovated its rooms and suites, and remodeled the hotel lobby and casino floor. On June 12, it will also reopen The LINQ Hotel + Experience casino gaming floor along with select restaurants and the pool, some with limited hours.

“We are encouraged by customer interest and visits, strong demand and the implementation, so far, of our enhanced health and safety protocols,” said Tony Rodio, CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “This is a new way of operating, and we will continue to evaluate and adjust our procedures to enhance guest and team member comfort and experiences. Our expansion plans will continue to reflect customer demand as well as a focus on properly executing health and safety directives.”

HLTH 2020, a conference focused on the future of healthcare, is currently scheduled for Oct. 11-14 at the new Caesars Forum Conference Center, and CRE.Converge is slated for early October at Caesars Palace.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Initial amenities at this five-star casino-resort are open, including some of its restaurants such as Beauty & Essex and Block 16 Urban Food Hall, and the Boulevard Pool (with appropriately spaced lounge chairs and cabanas). Entertainment and nightlife venues remain closed for the time being.

The Venetian Las Vegas

This Italian-themed property has reopened its Venetian and Palazzo towers to the public and will look to reopen more amenities in phases, including its casino, restaurants and bars.

MGM Resorts

Bellagio, New York-New York, MGM Grand Las Vegas and The Signature are all open again with limited amenities, to be expanded as demand for the destination builds. Inside Bellagio, the Conservatory features a new Japanese garden display called “Japan Journey: Magic of Kansai.”

Self Storage Association’s national fall conference and tradeshow are slated to take place in September at MGM Grand.

Wynn Las Vegas

Wynn was among the first brands to announce new health and safety protocols for reopening earlier this spring. It’s now opened both Wynn Las Vegas and Encore hotel towers and casinos, as well as its full portfolio of restaurants, lounges, pools and golf course. (In February this year, the resort also debuted its 430,000-square-foot meeting and convention expansion, more than doubling its event space.)

DERM2020 NP/PA CME Conference is scheduled to take place at Encore, Aug. 6-9.

In another important announcement made June 9, the company revealed it has submitted a land-use application for the design of an underground tunnel, in partnership with Elon Musk’s company, that would connect the resort to Las Vegas Convention Center. This development, which would transport guests between the resort and the LVCC in less than two minutes, is a critical step for Wynn as it looks to invest in the future of eco-friendly meetings. Resorts World Las Vegas, a $4.3 billion resort slated to open next summer, has also submitted plans to be connected to the tunnel transporting guests to LVCC.

Learn more about how Las Vegas is reopening through the Las Vegas CVA by going here.

Do you have stories to share about how your destination is reopening for business? Please drop us a line, kogletree@tsnn.com, for a chance to be featured on TSNN.

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Partner Voices
Less than six months ago, Lisa Messina joined the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) as the first-ever chief sales officer after leading the sales team at Caesars Entertainment. A 12-year Las Vegas resident, Messina is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and serves on MPI International’s board of directors. TSNN had a chance to catch up with this dynamic leader and talk to her about her vision for the new role, current shifts in the trade show industry, creating more diversity and equity within the organization, and advice to future female leaders. Lisa Messina, Chief Sales Officer, LVCVA With Las Vegas becoming The Greatest Arena on EarthTM, what are some of the things you’re most excited about in your role? Our team was at The Big Game’s handoff ceremony earlier this month, and I couldn’t help but think, “We’re going to crush it next year!”  These high-profile events and venues not only drive excitement, but also provide unmatched opportunities for event planners. Allegiant Stadium hosts events from 10 to 65,000 people and offers on-field experiences. Formula 1 Grand Prix will take place in Las Vegas in November, after the year-one F1 race, the four-story paddock building will be available for buyouts and will also offer daily ride-along experiences that will be available for groups. And, of course, the MSG Sphere officially announced that it will open in September, ahead of schedule, with a U2 residency. It’s going to be the most technologically advanced venue as far as lighting, sound, feel, and even scent, and it will be available for buyouts and next-level sponsorships inside and outside. There’s no ceiling to what you can do when you’re doing events in Las Vegas.  Allegiant Stadium As the trade show and convention business returns to the pre-pandemic levels, what shifts are you noticing and how do you think they will impact the industry going forward? Our trade show organizers are very focused on driving customer experience. Most of our organizers are reporting stronger exhibitor numbers and increased numbers of new exhibitors, with trade shows proving to be almost or above 2019 levels. Now our organizers are really doubling down on driving attendance and focusing on the data to provide that individualized, customized experience to help attendees meet their goals and get the best value. Some companies continue to be cautiously optimistic with their organizational spend when it comes to sending attendees, but I think it will continue to improve. As the U.S. Travel Association makes more progress on the U.S. visa situation, we also expect a growing influx of international attendees. What are some innovative ways the LVCVA helps trade show and convention organizers deliver the most value for their events? We focus on customer experience in the same way that trade show organizers are thinking about it. We got rave reviews with the West Hall Expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), so over the next two years, we will be renovating the North and the Central halls, which will include not just the same look and feel, but also the digital experiences that can be leveraged for branding and sponsorship opportunities.  Vegas Loop, the underground transportation system designed by The Boring Company, is also a way we have enhanced the customer experience. Vegas Loop at the LVCC has transported more than 900,000 convention attendees across the campus since its 2021 launch. Last summer, Resorts World and The Boring Company opened the first resort stop at the Resorts World Las Vegas , with plans to expand throughout the resort corridor, including downtown Las Vegas, Allegiant Stadium and Harry Reid International Airport. The LVCVA also purchased the Las Vegas Monorail in 2020, the 3.9-mile-long elevated transportation system that connects eight resorts directly to the convention center campus. This is the only rail system in the world that integrates fares directly into show badges and registration. For trade show organizers, these transportation options mean saving time, money and effort when it comes to moving groups from the hotels to LVCC and around the city. Also, the more we can focus on building the infrastructure around the convention center, the more it supports the customer experience and ultimately supports our trade show organizers. Scheduled to debut in Q4, Fontainebleau Las Vegas will offer 3,700 hotel rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space next to LVCC.  What are some of the plans for advancing DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) within your organization? We’re currently partnering with instead of working with a leading consulting firm, to lay the foundation and create a solid DEI plan and be the leader when it comes to DEI initiatives. The heart of that journey with the consulting firm is also talking to our customers about their strategic approaches to DEI and driving innovation in this space.  What are your favorite ways to recharge? My husband and I have an RV and we’re outdoorsy people. So, while we have over 150,000 world-class hotel rooms and renowned restaurants right outside our doorstep, one of my favorite things to do is get out to Red Rock Canyon, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead. Five of the top national parks are within a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, so there’s a lot you can do. We love balancing the energy of Las Vegas with nature, and we’re noticing that a lot of attendees add activities off the Strip when they come here.  Valley of Fire What advice would you give to women following leadership paths in destination marketing? I think it’s about being laser-focused on what you want to accomplish; building a team around you that lifts you and helps you achieve your goals; and being humble and realizing that you do it as a group. No one gets this done alone. Thankfully, there are a lot of women in leadership in this organization, in our customers’ organizations, and in this city that we can be really proud of. We’re a formidable force that is making things happen.   This interview has been edited and condensed. This article is exclusively sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority. For more information, visit HERE.