MGM Resorts International acting CEO Bill Hornbuckle told the company’s employees in a recorded message on Tuesday that “our industry will likely change for the foreseeable future” because of the coronavirus.
“What it means to provide good customer service will change — everything from how often we clean to how we greet our guests could and will change,” Hornbuckle said without going into specifics.
The MGM properties, like others throughout the state, have been closed since mid-March out of virus concerns. They are expected to reopen in a limited capacity next month once Gov. Steve Sisolak lifts the shutdown order.
Hornbuckle, who took over as MGM’s acting CEO when Jim Murren stepped down last month, said the way casino floors and restaurants operate will change. He didn’t say how.
At all Nevada properties, the reopening could come with casino guests and employees being required to wear facial protection and workers constantly sanitizing gambling machines and the casino floor. Thermal cameras to check the temperatures of potential patrons (those with confirmed temperatures over 100 degrees will not be allowed on property). A high temperature is one of the main signs of coronavirus.
Hornbuckle also lauded the efforts of health experts and government leaders around the country who have advocated for social distancing measures, saying such measures have shown to help in the effort to battle the pandemic.
“The history of this pandemic has yet to be written,” Hornbuckle said. “Now is the time to follow the public health guidelines, even when they are challenging. The decisions we’re making today are about ensuring that we have the resources to not just reopen, but to operate successfully for the long term, until we recover.”
More than 160 people have died from COVID-19 in Nevada since the disease first appeared in the state earlier this year, according to health officials.