After agreeing to pay wages and benefits for its own 10,000 workers for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, Las Vegas Sands (LVS -0.63%) now says it will also cover the pay of approximately 1,200 employees who work at third-party restaurants on its resort properties.
The casino operator is covering payroll costs for salaried employees while giving hourly and part-time employees a weekly stipend.
Image source: Las Vegas Sands.
Not just looking after its own
There are 14 restaurants at Las Vegas Sands' Venetian and Palazzo casinos run by world-renowned chefs including Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, and Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro.
Nevada ordered all non-essential businesses, including all Las Vegas Strip resorts to close through April 30 to control the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Although restaurants are considered essential and may remain open for takeout or delivery, the venues inside the Venetian and Palazzo can only be accessed through the casinos.
"These employees are an important part of our family and experience," President and COO Robert Goldstein said. "During these unprecedented times, we are committed to doing what we can to help our culinary community, which is being hit particularly hard during this crisis."
Las Vegas Sands chairman Sheldon Adelson wrote an op-ed last week saying all employers should be covering the pay of their workers.
His resort has also donated 2 million medical masks and 20,000 protective suits to healthcare workers nationally, as well as 100,000 masks to the Las Vegas healthcare community and 5,000 masks for the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. It has also donated 1,900 coronavirus test kits to Nevada health officials.
