Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak ordered a lockdown on April 1 in efforts to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, but the state is ready to push back. The order to close non-essential businesses was a blow to Nevada’s economy, especially in Las Vegas where tourism is a primary source of income.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman expressed her discontent, stating the lockdown and restrictions on the economy made no sense. “Hotels and restaurants, our entire tourism and convention industry business have been shut down. It makes no sense,” she said.
She was firm in her opinion that Las Vegas city needs to reopen, together with Southern Nevada and the state as a whole.
One of the mayor’s arguments was the lack of data or even a concise plan on how to navigate the lockdown as thousands of people are out of work.
The central government has set up relief efforts for businesses, but in Nevada’s case, not every business can apply for support from the government. Small gambling venues expressed their anger over unfair rules of financial relief. And even with some of the restrictions lifted, the issue remains for some. To be eligible for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, a business should receive less than half of its revenue from gambling, and the sum can’t exceed $1 million.
“The way the guidance is structured,” said Jeremy Aguero, a principal with Las Vegas-based Applied Analysis, “the number of Nevada casino-gaming operators that will be able to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program would appear to approach zero.”
