Three of the most prominent casino operators in Las Vegas are reportedly set to begin testing their employees for exposure to coronavirus as part of an effort that could see them given permission to partially re-open their venues within the next few weeks.

According to a Tuesday report from the Las Vegas Sun newspaper, Caesars Entertainment Corporation, MGM Resorts International and Boyd Gaming Corporation were forced to fully close all of their Nevada properties some nine weeks ago as the local death toll from the coronavirus pandemic hit 23. However, the western state purportedly hit its peak infection rate on April 24 and has since experienced a drop off in the number people being diagnosed with the highly-contagious ailment.

Restricted revival:

The newspaper reported that this diminution recently prompted Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak to initiate a program that has permitted a number of non-essential businesses such as hair salons and restaurants to partially re-open. The casino firms are purportedly hopeful of being allowed to imminently follow suit as their now-shuttered properties are said to be burning through millions of dollars every week.

Advantageous alliance:

In an effort to aid this re-opening and the newspaper reported that the three Nevada operators are partnering up in order to conduct a free coronavirus testing program for their combined Las Vegas workforces of approximately 90,000 people. The scheme is purportedly due to be run by the University Medical Center of Southern Nevada and will kick off tomorrow from inside the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Serious screening:

The Las Vegas Sun reported that the coming initiative is moreover being supported by the Local 226 branch of the Culinary Workers Union and hopes to conduct up to 4,000 individual tests every day with subjects being notified of their results with 48 hours. The trio is responsible for some of Las Vegas’ most iconic casinos such as the 3,960-room Caesars Palace Las Vegas as well as the even larger MGM Grand Las Vegas and purportedly used a joint statement to detail that any positive results are set to be forwarded to the officials at the Southern Nevada Health District for contact tracing.

Ernest assurance:

Tony Rodio, Chief Executive Officer for Caesars Entertainment Corporation, reportedly used this filing to detail that employees are to be asked to complete a questionnaire in order to determine if they require a test for exposure to coronavirus. His counterpart at Boyd Gaming Corporation, Keith Smith, purportedly declared that the initiative demonstrates his company’s commitment to ‘offering a safe and entertaining environment’ and will help to stop the spread of the potentially-lethal virus.

Finally, Bill Hornbuckle, the recently-installed Chief Executive Officer for MGM Resorts International, used the joint statement to proclaim that the ability to determine whether individual workers are suffering with coronavirus will allow his firm to provide its guests and employees with ‘peace of mind that we are taking the greatest possible precautions to keep them safe.’