One problem hampering the industry is that travel has plummeted to an all-time low, according to the report.<\/p>\n
Only 33 percent of Americans say they have traveled overnight for leisure or vacation since March, and only 38 percent say they are likely to do so by the end of the year,\u201d<\/strong> the report states. This leaves the hotel industry \u201con the brink of collapse.\u201d<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nIn Nevada, the drop off has shown up in travel numbers. Last week, McCarran International Airport issued its latest travel figures. Statistics show that while passenger totals exceeded 1.6 million in July, that number is down 64 percent from the previous July\u2019s 4.5 million passengers.<\/p>\n
But tourism officials see optimism in the number of flights that have come into Las Vegas since casinos reopened June 4. At one point in the spring, only 110 flights a day were arriving in Las Vegas. By July, that number was up to 280 arrivals each day.<\/p>\n
Even so, the effect on the airline industry overall has been painful. On Wednesday, United Airlines said it planned to furlough 16,370 workers on Oct. 1.<\/strong><\/p>\nWeather Woes<\/h2>\n
In addition to the pandemic this year, the casino industry felt the wrath of one of the worst hurricanes ever along the Gulf Coast.<\/p>\n
Hurricane Laura, a powerful Category 4 storm with winds up to 150 mph, battered casinos in Louisiana, disabling four in the Lake Charles area for an undetermined period. One floating casino, the Isle of Capri, came unmoored and struck a bridge, requiring a tugboat to return it to its original location.<\/p>\n
However, a Louisiana State Police spokesman told Casino.org<\/em> that damages to the Isle of Capri, a Caesars Entertainment property, could take nine months to repair.<\/p>\nBad weather still could be a challenge for casinos going into the fall. According to The Weather Channel, 75 percent of hurricane season, which peaks in September, is yet to come.<\/strong><\/p>\nEncouraging Signs<\/h2>\n
Across the country, not all weather is stormy for the casino industry. In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced he will have \u201cpositive\u201d news for casinos<\/a> in the Empire State this week.<\/p>\nHe has not set a date for when he will allow casinos to reopen, but his recent remark was greeted in the industry as an encouraging sign.<\/p>\n
Statewide in New York, hotel-casinos and video-only venues, such as racetracks, employ a combined 10,000 workers. These employees have been without a gaming job since Cuomo ordered casinos and other \u201cnonessential\u201d businesses to close in mid-March as COVID-19 deaths surged across the state.<\/p>\n
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Elsewhere, construction is also continuing in the casino industry. In Las Vegas, the $1 billion Circa Resort is nearing completion. The casino portion of the property is expected to open in October, with hotel rooms available for occupancy by the end of the year.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\nLocated at the western end of Fremont Street, the Circa is the first new hotel-casino built in downtown Las Vegas in 40 years. It has been hailed as an important element in reviving the downtown area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The hotel industry is \u201con the brink of collapse,\u201d according to a new report \u2014 and casinos are experiencing the brunt of this fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. With COVID-19 bringing “a virtual halt to the country\u201d since March and April, the hotel industry is among the first to suffer, according to a report Aug. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":147148,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Casinos Feel Brunt of Hotel Industry 'Collapse' Caused by COVID-19 - Casino.org<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n