Depending on where you’re traveling from, one of the things that may surprise you on your first trip to Las Vegas is being hit by the smell of cigarette smoke in its famed casinos. Whereas New York City and Los Angeles ban smoking in all enclosed public spaces, most of Vegas still allows its gamblers to puff away while they dream of winning big.
For those who don’t smoke, or perhaps struggling to give up, it can be the one downside to some of the most over-the-top and spectacular hotels in the US.
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Well, that looks set to change this month with the re-opening of one of the Strip’s major resorts: this time as a fully smoke-free location.
Park MGM/NoMad will be reopening on September 30. It will be the final MGM resort to reopen following COVID shutdowns.
“Opening Park MGM and NoMad represent significant milestones, as they are the last of our properties to welcome back employees and guests alike,” said Bill Hornbuckle, MGM Resorts CEO and President, in a statement.
“The last six months have presented extraordinary challenges and I could not be prouder of the MGM Resorts team for the tireless effort required to get us here.”
LGBTQ people are more likely to smoke than their straight counterparts, but many of them would dearly love to quit the habit.
Anton Nikodemus, President of MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas Portfolio, said, “As we looked toward our reopening, we identified an opportunity to be responsive to recurring guest demand for a fully non-smoking casino resort on The Strip. With an expansive Las Vegas portfolio, MGM Resorts is able to offer an array of options for visitors, all within the MGM Resorts family.”
Park MGM first opened in 2018, with NoMad promoted as an “intimate luxury hotel-within-a-hotel” on its upper floors. The building, built in 1996, was formerly The Monte Carlo. Park MGM features 2,700 guest rooms and NoMad offers 293. Most of the hotel’s restaurants will also be reopening, but the Park Theater, which has previously hosted shows from Lady Gaga and Cher, will remain closed for now.
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