LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A former vice president of guest strategy at MGM Resorts says he's seen a lack of consistency in safety inside Las Vegas hotels and casinos as many reopen after closing due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Greg Chase has also conducted a study to see how casino employees are feeling returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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"The second that customer comes in and starts to see that inconsistency, it's going to make them not want to come back until things settle down," Chase said.
Chase has been "Cruising through COVID" on his YouTube channel. He has been traveling in an RV across Nevada, Arizona, and California to see how hotels and casinos have changed their experience since reopening.
Chase says he has seen the most success outside of Las Vegas.
"No Plexiglas, no dividers, no partitions, nothing separating someone from standing or sitting next to you," Chase said as he walked through the South Point hotel-casino.
The former vice president said he fears what he's seen will slow down the city's recovery.
Lilian Tomovich, a former chief marketing and experience officer at MGM Resorts, also shared her insight on what she has seen so far with casinos reopening
"They want to provide options for customers who feel they want to protect themselves, versus those that don't, so I think it's really just a matter of trying to cater to the vast audience," Tomovich said.
She also says health and safety also apply to those behind the counter.
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A recent study from Experience Strategy Associates was conducted to bridge the gap in terms of where hospitality and gaming employees are, and where they need to be.
The survey found that out of 300 participants, only 32% felt their employer cares about them through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of that, 68% didn't feel their employer has had transparent communication through the pandemic.
"To go into work and not feel that your employer cares about you or has done enough, it's heartbreaking," Chase said.
13 Action News reached out to MGM Resorts, Caesars, Wynn, and the South Point to get their reaction to the study, but only immediately heard back from Wynn Resorts:
"The Wynn team likely feels differently than the employees who responded to the survey," said a Wynn Las Vegas spokesperson.
