Re-Opening Las Vegas – Will it ever be the same?

Plexi-glass dividers. Limited capacity in restaurants. Hotels with limited occupancy. Will Las Vegas ever be the same? That is the question posed by many, especially as cases of COVID-19 spike again due to lifted restrictions and many foregoing social distancing practices.

The truth is, the road to recovery will take time, even as hotels and casinos open tomorrow, June 4. Reports are showing that visitors are making plans to come back to Las Vegas and enjoy what the city has to offer. For example, a recent giveaway of 2,000 one way flights to Las Vegas by one casino owner was met with great popularity, with all tickets given away within hours. Also, there are reports that bookings for hotels and flights into Las Vegas are on the rise as the city prepares to open. All of this, of course, is encouraging since it will bring locals back to work and the central part of the Las Vegas economy moving again.

However, will Las Vegas ever be the same again? The hope is that it will.  As time goes on and COVID-19 is brought under control, we can expect more and more people to become comfortable with the idea of traveling and meeting in larger groups. However, that comfortable feeling may not come for many for awhile.

As anyone who has traveled or lived in Las Vegas knows, large groups of people mingling with each other is a common occurrence and what Las Vegas is all about. Hotels are booked. Restaurants are packed. Sports stadiums are full. While it may take some time to get to that point again, Las Vegas has always been on the radar for many as a place to vacation, enjoy the warm summer months, the pools and the many shows available. Eventually, we will reach that point again. But we will need to all be patient.

These views are the opinion of Nicklin Property Management.