NEWS & NOTES

The Nevada Restaurant Association has petitioned Governor Steve Sisolak for state and federal assistance to weather the coronavirus shutdown. The trade group representing 6,000 restaurants is asking for grants, tax credits and deferments, waivers of government fees, a prohibition on evictions and the disconnection of utilities and changes in regulations affecting alcohol and grocery sales. ● Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island is being put to good use during the Covid-19 shutdown. The property will serve as the site of a new drive-through testing site for the virus. Administered by CVS Health, the free tests began April 6 by appointment only. Results can be ready in as little as 15 minutes. The site is expected to perform about 1,000 tests per day, doubling the state’s testing capacity. ● SkyCity’s Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand was lit royal blue through April 5 to salute front-line emergency services fighting against Covid-19. According to SkyCity, the idea was suggested by a police officer looking for a way to thank medical staff who are putting their own lives at risk to save others. ●   The ShopRite LPGA Classic has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The 54-hole, $1.75 million tournament, originally for May, will be played July 31-August 2 in New Jersey. ● The Collective Union of Movement of Workers, a Cambodian trade union, has called on casino operators to pay up the last month’s wages and maintain half-salaries during the industry shutdown. Around 28,000 employees are affected by Covid-19 suspensions, which began April 6. ● India’s Deltin Group, which operates several casinos in Goa, has announced a donation of INR5.1 million (US$67,000) to battle against Covid-19 through the state’s Chief Minister Relief Fund. The operator is also procuring essential items like medication, medical devices and food for the local population. ● Station Casinos has contributed $1 million to Nevada’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund. The donation will fund personal protective equipment and medical supplies for first responders and health care professionals. ● Two more workers at the Resorts World Las Vegas construction site have tested positive for Covid-19, the developer announced last week. Three cases of the respiratory disease have been reported among workers at the job site. ● In addition to paying 10,000 Venetian and Palazzo employees during the state-ordered closure in Nevada, Las Vegas Sands Corp. will pay the 1,200 employees working in its resorts’ 14 third-party restaurants. Hourly and part-time workers will receive a weekly stipend. ● The 10th anniversary celebration of the Electric Daisy Carnival has been postponed. Originally set to take place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in May, EDC has been rescheduled for October 2-4, the latest casualty of the coronavirus. ● The Reno Problem Gambling Center, closed due to the coronavirus, is helping recovering addicts through telehealth. According to RPGC’s Denise Quirk, before the pandemic less than 10 percent of clients used telehealth. During the first week of closures, those numbers jumped 80 percent. ● Some 16,000 Atlantic City casino employees are laid off. From March 22 to 28, the state saw 206,253 unemployment claims, compared to an average of 6,800 applications. ● Slot manufacturer FBM has donated $393,000 to four Philippine hospitals. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. said the funds would be used “to purchase medical equipment necessary to combat the pandemic.”