With Nevada shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Las Vegas casinos are hurting pretty bad. But relief may be in sight, as U.S. President Donald Trump has issued guidelines for states and some businesses to re-open, and resort operators like Wynn are hoping to show they are ready to go, if Governor Steve Sisolak agrees to slowly re-open the state.

As Union Gaming analysts John DeCree and Sam Ghafir note, Trump’s plan to re-open the economy in phases could benefit casinos quickly. “We believe most casinos would fall into phase one as large venues and be permitted to reopen,” they wrote. “It is still unclear what distancing protocol for casinos would look like but could include reduced gaming capacity, greater spacing between active slot machines, fewer seats at live gaming tables, and masks for dealers.”

If phase one is permitted to begin on May 1, Wynn is hoping to show Governor Sisolak that they are ready to re-open responsibly. In a Health & Sanitation Program published to their website on April 19, CEO Matt Maddox outlined a careful plan to open with new guidelines, altered layouts, and personal protective equipment for all employees.  He wrote:

“This plan presents what we will do to keep our guests, employees, and our community safe. Each operating department has its own customized set of procedures, even more detailed than the 20-page summary presented here. It relies on the best available science on sanitization methods in consultation with professional infectious disease experts from the best academic institutions in the country. We will continue to refine and update the plan as our experts provide us more advice. Our procedures are extensive and not applicable to all resorts in our industry.”