LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada hit ten straight billion-dollar months—a streak that continues to grow.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board says Clark County accounted for nearly all of it, $998 million out of $1.15 billion, with $650 million coming from casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
Unfortunately, we have had to go through a few surges of COVID-19; most recently with Omicron. But the numbers have established Las Vegas as a safe location for people to visit.
“We know that football has helped us,” said Dr. Amanda Belarmino, an assistant professor at the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. “We know that entertainment has helped us. And despite the hiccups we’ve seen, I think it just shows that we’re continuing to give some really great levels of service.”
“Yeah, I think it’s a positive sign that shows that the gaming industry is back in a lot of ways and it appears to be sustainable,” said David G. Schwartz, gaming historian and professor over at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
UNLV is finding that there is a very large demand among employers for hospitality employees right now.
“If you are in a job and want to make a change, it’s a great time to do it,” said Dr. Belarmino. “If you’re starting a career, it’s a good time to do it, as well. So, I think there are a lot of opportunities there.”
Opportunities aplenty, but some people do not want a change.
Room attendants with the Culinary Union say they like their jobs—just not their treatment, alleging that guest rooms are not cleaned daily at Bally’s and the Flamingo, and that poses a health hazard. Loyalty is keeping them around.
“The people who are cleaning the rooms—those are the people who are suffering,” said Diana Thomas, a Flamingo guest room attendant. “I am suffering, so I have to stay. I cannot leave my people.”
Bally’s and the Flamingo are Caesars Entertainment properties. We asked them for a comment and never heard back.
“It’s not just about bringing workers back to work,” said Ted Pappageorge, president of the Culinary Union. “It’s about making sure that the full-time work that is there--folks get their full-time shifts, they get their stations and they’re given their work properly. But the reality is: the gaming win’s back and the rest of what we do here in Vegas is coming back.”
SNHD said that as of Thursday, it has had zero registered complaints from the Union. That may change by Friday morning, and the union said there were dozens of complaints submitted during the rally.
