As land-based casinos begin planning what their operations will look like when the COVID-19 the Station Casino chain in Nevada issued a stark warning regarding layoffs – expect layoffs. The casino chain’s blunt message is one that workers across Nevada, and likely the world, will be facing when they emerge from quarantine.
Word of potential Station Casino layoffs came in a letter issues by CEO Frank Feritta III and was reported on by the Las Vegas Review Journal in which he described, “meaningful staff level reductions.” That news no doubt sent shivers down the spines of the company’s 14,000 employees.
It’s worth noting that all full-time employees of the Station Casino chain have been getting paid during the lockdown. The company also changed the status of some part-time employees to full-time shortly after quarantine so that they would not have to go on unemployment. But that situation was simply not tenable for the long-term. “We have tried to retain our entire team, but in the face of this continued uncertainty we can no longer do so,” Feritta acknowledged.
Feritta also spoke on the uncertain times ahead saying, “When we are permitted to reopen, we don’t know what business will look like other than knowing that business levels will be lower as a result of this unprecedented crisis.” The Station Casino has locations throughout Nevada and tends to focus more on local business than travelers. Given the massive surge of unemployment in Nevada, that market could be greatly diminished.
Station Casinos plans on announcing how many employees will be laid off on May 16.