#MGM Resorts gets OK to fully open 9 Las Vegas casinos

Gambling giant MGM Resorts International on Wednesday joined a growing number of Las Vegas Strip casinos with state regulatory approval to open casino floors at 100 percent capacity and no person-to-person distancing requirement.

The company said the Nevada Gaming Control Board granted its waiver for nine properties based on its workforce vaccination rate.

“We will continue working to vaccinate as many people as possible and remain vigilant with health and safety protocols,” company CEO & President Bill Hornbuckle said in a statement.

Approval applies to casino floors at the Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, New York-New York, Luxor, Excalibur and Park MGM.

Three-foot distancing and 80 percent occupancy restrictions remain at restaurants, swimming pools and other non-gambling areas. Masks are still required.

Clark County lawmakers with jurisdiction over Las Vegas-area businesses have approved plans to allow 100 percent occupancy once 60 percent of eligible county residents get a vaccine shot. As of Tuesday, the figure was 47 percent.

Other Las Vegas casinos open at 100 percent occupancy include Wynn Las Vegas, Encore and the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and the resort now known as the Strat.

They showed the Gaming Control Board that at least 80 percent of employees had received at least one shot of coronavirus vaccine.