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The Las Vegas casino industry can breathe a sigh of relief for now that it’s not facing another coronavirus shutdown.

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It’s going to be tougher to get a table at your favorite casino restaurant. And you can forget about watching a show for now. If you were planning on attending a convention with up to 250 people, that’s been canceled.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak put people on the edge of their seats Sunday when right after the day’s NFL games started, he announced a press conference on the state’s COVID-19 response that would take place between the ending of the late afternoon games and the start of the Chiefs-Raiders game on Sunday Night Football.

With COVID-19 case numbers being higher than they’ve ever been, Governor Steve Sisolak announced new restrictions to help control the spread of COVID-19.https://t.co/wvR2EabXVt

— KSNV News 3 Las Vegas (@News3LV) November 23, 2020

Fortunately, there’s no shutdown like the resort industry faced in March that lasted 2½ months. Since reopening June 4, Las Vegas has slowly made a comeback with visitation running more than 50% below 2019.

But now the industry faces a three-week pause in which casino floors must reduce their capacity from 50% to 25%, and casino bars and restaurants will have to do the same. Whether that pause continues depends on Nevada making a dent in its rising caseload that’s now averaging 2,000 infections a week for the first time.

“Midweek is not going to matter as much as it is on weekends,” said Brendan Bussmann, a partner with Global Market Advisors. “The notice of reductions at least over the next three weeks is going to reduce demand on weekends, which is going to hurt the industry. If people think Vegas is only open for 25%, I don’t think that sends a message that we’re open for business. That’s half of what we have right now on the casino floor and entertainment that was just starting to come back and for restaurants and other parts of the operation.”

That also means the cancellation of any meetings and conventions of more than 50 people that were scheduled over the next three weeks and vital to Las Vegas’ recovery.

Brent Pirosch, director of gaming consulting for research firm CBRE, said he believes, however, that the industry can overcome these new restrictions.

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“The locals gaming market has recovered fairly well, so we believe the operators will be able to adapt to the changes and hold onto at least some of the momentum,” Pirosch said. “The new capacity restrictions ordered by the governor coincide with a slower part of the year, so we’re hopeful the impact to business won’t be severe.

“Convention visitation is typically lowest in December and group business likely won’t return to meaningful numbers until after a vaccine is widely distributed.”

Nehme Abouzeid, president and founder of LaunchVegas and who has worked for the Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Wynn Resorts, said he understands Sisolak’s actions. He said it’s clear that visitors to Las Vegas have been “letting their guard down” and contributing to the spread of COVID-19.

“The new guidance may be a blow to the restaurant, events and live entertainment industries that were trying to claw back to life, but in reality, the reduced capacity limits were already decimating their businesses,” Abouzeid said. “If we can hold off until the spring when vaccines will be widely distributed, then hopefully there will be a clear path forward at that time.”

Virginia Valentine, president of the Nevada Resort Association, said the health and safety of guests, visitors and residents remains the greatest priority of the resort industry. She said the industry understands the governor’s actions to seek a balance between public health and the impact on the economy.

“Like every state in the nation, Nevada faces a grim future if the virus’ spread is not contained and reversed quickly,” Valentine said. “As the resort industry does its part to adhere to this directive, we strongly urge the public to join us by following recommended practices and behaviors. With the public’s help, we are optimistic we can move through this situation swiftly and return to the business of bringing people back to work safely and moving our economy forward.”

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and resorts took similar stances supporting Sisolak’s actions as a way to stop the spread of COVID-19. Casinos are quickly taking on the new task of dealing with the new restrictions that went into effect Tuesday ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Shows hosting 250 people have already been canceled.

Caesars Entertainment said its bars and restaurants and will continue to provide to-go options for pickup and for delivery to their rooms.

Brian Ahern, director of media relations for MGM Resorts International, said they’re “working to adjust our operations” to comply with the new restrictions.

“This will clearly have a major impact on entertainment, and we are working with our partners to determine the path forward,” Ahern said. “While we recognize these are challenging times, we are encouraged by positive news of vaccines on the horizon and believe deeply that our resilient community will rebound.”

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Josh Swissman, founding partner of The Strategy Organization, said gaming companies will take restrictions compared to Michigan, New Mexico and other states that have shuttered casinos temporarily. Swissman said the emergence of vaccines is giving people hope that even if the governor has to extend the pause or add restrictions, people see an end to the pandemic.

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“If they have to operate at 25% and they lose less money than if there was a shutdown, that’s what they’re going to do until the vaccine is more widely available and starts to stimulate travel and visitation,” Swissman said.

Bussmann said for the short term, there’s no predictability that the industry craves. No one knows what to expect next from the governor.

“Two weeks ago, it was stay at home 2.0, and we’ll be O.K.,” Bussmann said. “Obviously that wasn’t the case, and we’re three weeks in a pause. The positive is we didn’t see a complete shutdown, but who knows what happens in three weeks.”

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By Will Dunham

(Reuters) – American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who built lavish gambling palaces that made him one of the world’s richest men and became a potent supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has died at age 87.

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Adelson, who headed the world’s largest casino company Las Vegas Sands, died on Monday night from complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Las Vegas Sands said in a statement on Tuesday.

'In Las Vegas, Macao and Singapore, Mr. Adelson’s vision for integrated resorts transformed the industry, changed the trajectory of the company he founded, and reimagined tourism in each of those markets,' the company said. 'His impact on the industry will be everlasting.'

A combative self-made man raised in a poor Jewish immigrant family in Boston, Adelson established hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore. His wealth made him a formidable figure in U.S. politics as he bankrolled Republicans including businessman-turned-politician Trump and fought Democrats. He also was a prominent supporter of Israel.

With a net worth of $33.4 billion as of this week, Adelson ranked as the world’s 38th richest person on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Adelson and his Israeli-born physician wife Miriam gave more than $218 million to Republican and conservative causes in the 2020 U.S. election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political spending, more than anyone else.

The Adelsons were prolific backers of Trump’s 2016 presidential bid, spending $20 million on the campaign and then $5 million more for his inauguration, and remained supportive during his tumultuous presidency. The casino magnate was in regular contact with Trump after he took office and saw some of his cherished goals relating to Israel come to fruition including the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in a break with decades of American policy. Adelson attended the embassy dedication ceremony in May 2018.

'He crafted the course of nations. Some of the historical changes that he helped effect – in the United States, Israel and elsewhere – are publicly known,' his widow, Miriam Adelson, said in a statement.

Known for his extensive philanthropy and business ventures in Israel and donations to Jewish causes, Adelson counted Netanyahu as a close friend. Adelson changed the Israeli media landscape in 2007 by launching Israel Hayom, a free right-wing daily newspaper that took a pro-Netanyahu line.

Israeli political commentators said Adelson played a role in persuading Trump to adopt policies in lockstep with Netanyahu, leading to the U.S. withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement, support for Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and the transfer of the American Embassy to contested Jerusalem.

SON OF A CAB DRIVER

Adelson, a college dropout and the son of a cab driver, was short and stocky, had thinning red hair and in later years used a motorized scooter because of a medical condition that made it difficult to walk. But his appearance belied his clout and drive.

'I know that a lot of people think that guys like me succeed by stepping on the broken backs of employees and other people, but they don’t understand that we, too, have philosophies and ideals that we adhere to very scrupulously,' Adelson said at a Las Vegas event in 2008, according to the New Yorker magazine.

His empire in the United States, Macau and Singapore was exemplified by the Venetian resort casino in Las Vegas, which boasted replicas of landmarks from Venice, Italy, like canals, the Rialto Bridge and the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica. He filled his gambling hubs with trendy restaurants and shops, making them luxury destinations for business travelers and tourists alike.

In November 2018, Trump awarded Adelson’s wife the highest U.S. civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a move critics assailed as a presidential 'thank you' for the couple’s financial backing. During the White House ceremony, Trump hailed the Adelsons for protecting 'the sacred heritage of the Jewish faith,' placed the medal around her neck and kissed her on both cheeks.

Adelson also backed Republican U.S. President George W. Bush, then poured tens of millions of dollars into failed 2008 and 2012 efforts to defeat Democratic President Barack Obama.

Tributes to Adelson poured in after news of his death.

'He was an American patriot, a generous benefactor of charitable causes, and a strong supporter of Israel,' Bush said in a statement.

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Naftali Bennett, a former Israeli defense minister and currently head of the far-right Yamina party, said on Twitter that Adelson, was 'a Jewish patriot who will be remembered for eternity in Israel.'

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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, 'Our nation lost a remarkable American with the passing of my friend Sheldon Adelson.'

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(Reporting by Will Dunham, Doina Chiacu, Steve Holland; editing by Louise Heavens and Howard Goller)