On the 17th March 2020 holiday makers, gamblers and party goers where readying themselves for St Patricks Day and the ensuing celebrations on the Las Vegas Strip. However with many of the main casinos already closing and announcing the cancellation of events the party was starting to look less likely. By the early evening of St Patricks day Governor Steve Sisolak announced the closing of all ‘non-essential’ businesses which included the clubs and casinos of Las Vegas by midnight of that day.
Las Vegas prides its self as a 24/7 town where the casinos never close. The last closure of the casinos was for President Kennedy’s funeral in 1963 meaning that the strip has weathered all other crisis, storms and recessions since then. Thousands of workers in the entertainment and catering industries have been made out of work and tourists fear being stranded in a party city where even the restaurants are closed. The clo- sures will remain in effect until April 16.
As the casinos closed one by one a hardcore of gamers re- mained placing bets until the last minute at tables in otherwise empty halls, whilst others scrambled to find flights home. The city which never sleeps finally turned off the lights as it too suc- cumbed to the incoming threat of the COVID-19 Cornavirus.