UPDATE, 6:45 p.m.

Gov. Steve Sisolak has ordered the statewide shutdown of all casinos and other nonessential businesses in Nevada starting noon Wednesday.

The state’s latest coronavirus containment effort will apply to all bars, gyms, beauty salons, barber shops, malls and restaurants that do not provide takeout and delivery services.

Sisolak said in a Tuesday evening press conference that casinos and hotels will be given time to remove their guests before closing for 30 days. Retail malls and stores will also be mothballed for a month as the Silver State adopts drastic measures to combat COVID-19. Gaming machines are to be emptied and shut down by midnight.

“My ultimate goal here is to come together as Nevadans to save lives,” he told reporters in Las Vegas. “That requires aggressive strategies aimed at limiting community spread.

“We don’t have time to waste. We must act aggressively and decisively to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.”

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The order will not impact essential businesses such as gas stations and grocery stores. Airports, banks, post offices, hospitals, pharmacies, daycares and urgent care facilities will also remain unaffected.

Professionals such as lawyers, doctors, accountants, Realtors and others can keep their offices so long as they observe health precautions. It’s unclear if the closure order will apply to thousands of workers at Tesla’s sprawling Gigafactory east of Sparks, though Sisolak has said no employee who wishes to remain home should be required to work. He plans to reevaluate the shutdown order next month.

“All gatherings should be postponed or canceled,” the first-term Democrat added. “This is not the time for playdates, sleepovers, concerts, theater outings or athletic events.

“This is not a vacation and it’s not a time to catch up with friends. It’s definitely not a time to go to the movies. Every social contact increases your risk of exposure.”

A visibly frustrated Sisolak later raised his voice when asked to clarify the extent of the ban’s likely impacts on the state’s crucial casino industry.

“People are dying,” he said toward the end of the press conference. “It’s incumbent upon the citizens of this state to take this seriously.”

The Culinary Union on Tuesday expressed support for the decision made by Sisolak, which it called a necessary step to protect Nevadans from the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, it pushed employers to take care of workers affected by the decision.

“The Culinary Union demands every Nevada employer pay all of their employees (including part-time workers) and extend healthcare benefits,” the union said in a prepared statement.

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Hotel-casinos and resort industry react

Following Sisolak’s press conference, the Nevada Resort Association says it will continue to work closely not just with the governor and the Gaming Control Board but with state and local public health agencies as well.

“From the start, the Resort Industry’s priority has been the health and safety of our employees, guests and fellow residents,” said Virginia Valentine, president of the resort association.

“We recognize Governor Sisolak and his medical advisory team have given careful and thoughtful consideration to this decision, and we understand their actions are in the best interest of public health at this time.”

Grand Sierra Resort will close to the public at 10 p.m. tonight, March 17, and all hotel guests will vacate its premises no later than Thursday, March 19.

To help mitigate the impact on its employees, the hotel-casino says it will absorb the costs to maintain the health benefits of workers affected by the decision. Grand Sierra Resort will also provide about 2,000 meals to assist workers and the community.

“Governor Sisolak has mandated closure of all Nevada casinos and hotels and we understand this is in the best interest of our team members, guests and our community at this time,” the Grand Sierra said in a statement sent to the Reno Gazette Journal. “GSR leadership will continue to evaluate this evolving situation and looks forward to welcoming the return of guests and team members as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa should finish closing the remainder of the resort by noon on Wednesday, March 18. The Atlantis started its closure process at midnight.

“Our entire team in Reno has been working diligently to actively address the COVID-19 risk by taking additional precautions throughout the facility to ensure the health and safety of our guests and team members,” said John Farahi, co-chairman and CEO of Atlantis parent company Monarch. “We will remain in active dialog with federal, state and local officials and look forward to safely welcoming guests back to the property once the temporary shutdown ends.”

Eldorado Resorts announced that it will temporarily suspend operations at its various area resorts at midnight in response to the governor’s order. The affected properties are the Eldorado Resort Casino, Silver Legacy, Circus Circus Reno, MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa Lake Tahoe and the Tropicana Laughlin Hotel and Casino.

“The Company is continuing to monitor developments related to COVID-19 and reinforcing our policies as necessary,” the Eldorado said in a prepared statement.

Caesars Entertainment, which is in the midst of a merger with Eldorado, announced that it will shut down its properties not just in Nevada but all of North America.

“It has become clear that we must take this extreme action to help contain the virus and protect the safety and well-being of our team members and guests,” CEO Tony Rodio said.

Caesars says it will assist employees whose lives will be disrupted by the closures but did not indicate through what means. The company has $2.8 billion of cash on hand, which will be sufficient to fund its obligations, it said. Caesars will also reduce its operating and capital expenses as necessary.

The Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks declined to comment on the governor’s order. The Atlantis Casino Resort Spa told the Reno Gazette Journal that it will have an official comment on Wednesday. The Peppermill Resort Hotel did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Elected officials sound off

U.S. Reps. Dina Titus and Steven Horsford quickly issued statements applauding Sisolak's announcement, as did U.S. Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto.

Even Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald, a frequent Sisolak critic, sounded an optimistic note.

“As a lifelong Nevadan, I have experienced the best and toughest times firsthand," McDonald wrote in a statement. "From 9/11 to 1 October, the character of this community has proven itself to be resilient time and again.

"It will be no different this time. We will come roaring back stronger than ever once the coronavirus outbreak ends and we will show what being Battle Born is all about.”

U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei, the lone Republican in Nevada's congressional delegation, urged residents to hit the phone lines with questions about the move.

“If you have questions regarding the impacts and which specific businesses will be affected by this gubernatorial action, please call the governor’s Carson City office at (775) 684-5670, his Las Vegas office at (702) 486-2500, or visit his website at www.gov.nv.gov," Amodei said in a statement. “In the meantime, all three of my offices remain open during regular business hours as we have deemed our federal operations essential.

"For additional information regarding COVID-19 updates, please visit my website at www.amodei.house.gov, or call my Washington office at (202) 225-6155, my Reno office at (775) 686-5760, or my Elko office at (775) 777-7705."

Washoe County Commission Chairman Bob Lucey declined to comment on the governor's announcement.

"We are processing the information given to us tonight by the governor," he said. "The county as a whole will have a response after the manager, staff, and I have the chance to discuss next steps."

The county opted not to follow the city of Reno's lead Monday and require bars and restaurants to close.

"We have been following the governor’s lead since he declared a state of emergency last week," Lucey added. "We have been closely working with his staff as this situation has evolved."

Original story

Gov. Steve Sisolak is set to order the statewide shutdown of all casinos and other nonessential businesses in Nevada on Tuesday night, according to a source familiar with the governor’s plans.

The order is expected to apply to all bars, gyms, salons, malls and restaurants that do not provide takeout and delivery services. It would not affect essential businesses such as gas stations and grocery stores.

Some of Nevada’s largest casino companies — among them MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands — voluntarily shuttered their properties earlier this week.

In Reno, casinos are preparing to close their doors at midnight after a call with Gov. Steve Sisolak.

Councilman Devon Reese confirmed he’s spoken with casino owners who have preparations under way.

Earlier today Ryan Sheltra, owner of the Bonanza Casino, received a letter from the Nevada Gaming Control Board with instructions on how to close down operations.

Although he was not on the call with the governor, he’s preparing to close at midnight.

“We are closing,” he said. “Will be the first time in 48 years that our doors will be closed. My doors don’t even have locks at this point.”

He said all the public entrance doors will be chained.

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His father Russ Sheltra opened the casino on July 1, 1973. The closure will force him to lay off 180 employees.

The Nevada Resort Association says it will respond to the order after Sisolak makes his official announcement. There is no doubt, however, that COVID-19 is having a significant impact on an industry that generates nearly $68 billion annually in economic output for the Silver State, the organization said. The tourism industry contributes nearly 40% of the state’s general fund revenue and employs more than 450,000 jobs statewide, according to the Nevada Resort Association.

"No other state’s economy depends on travel and tourism — and particularly gaming — the way Nevada’s does,” said Virginia Valentine, president of the Nevada Resort Association. “This is an unprecedented economic situation that will have serious financial ramifications for individuals, families, businesses and state and local budgets across the state.”

Back in January, Nevada posted an unemployment rate of 3.6%, an all-time low for the state, according to the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation. Just a little over a month later, the agency was uploading video instructions on YouTube on how to file an unemployment claim online as COVID-19 concerns continue to grow.

The agency strongly encouraged claimants to use Nevada’s self-service system for filing unemployment claims. The Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation also announced on Tuesday that it will be immediately shutting down its JobConnect Career Centers as a precaution against COVID-19. It did not give a timeline on when it expects the centers to re-open.

“Closing of the JobConnect Centers to the public will not impact how claimants file for Nevada unemployment insurance,” said DETR Director Tiffany Tyler-Garner. “We continue to work with our partners and the entire workforce development system to ensure that we can provide the support needed as DETR experiences a rapid influx of unemployment insurance claims.”

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Claims also can be filed by telephone between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday by calling the following unemployment insurance centers:

Northern UI Call Center: (775) 684-0350

Southern UI Call Center: (702) 486-0350

Rural areas and out-of-state: (888) 890-8211

Tuesday’s order arrives two days after Sisolak temporarily closed schools and state offices.

It also supersedes a citywide ban that was met with widespread confusion in Reno, where Mayor Hillary Schieve on Monday ordered bars, restaurants, nightclubs and gyms to close by 5 p.m. on Friday. But Washoe County and Sparks did not follow suit. And the Washoe County Health District said it supports such closures but is not mandating them.

At least 12 states have adopted similar shutdown measures meant to slow the spread of the potentially deadly virus.

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This is a breaking news story and will be updated.