Wynn Resorts Bring In Metal Detectors After Las Vegas Shooting

The worst shooting in U.S history which took place on October 1 from the Mandalay Bay Resorts was expected to change security measures adopted by Las Vegas casinos and entertainment venues.

That has already happened with Wynn Resorts, one of the major casino operators on the Strip deciding to subject its patrons to a metal detector test from Monday afternoon, translating to slightly longer waits for visitors.

There is unanimity among casino and entertainment center operators that after Sunday’s shootings, security measures had to be beefed up.

However, the biggest challenge that gaming and entertainment operators had to address was in finding balance between adopting security measures that keep visitors safe and not be drastic enough to rob visitors of the feeling of fun.

MSNBC

More than 42 million visitors come to the entertainment capital of the world each year and it is an exceptionally difficult task to be able to thoroughly check and vet all guests. A senior executive at one of the Vegas resorts admitted that it is very likely that other casino resorts on the Strip will adopt a similar policy as Wynn Resorts and start using metal detectors to screen their guests.

Former Boston police commissioner Ed Davis who now serves as a security consultant said that casino and entertainment operators in Las Vegas will have to start thinking of not only using metal detectors but also getting sniper teams in place, having multiple exits and segregating the crowd setup so that it becomes easy to evacuate in case of an emergency.

Davis also said that it was high time that legislators addressed gun laws in the country to ensure that something like this did not happen again.

In a statement, Davis said

I would have thought that would have happened after Sandy Hook. This doesn’t happen in other countries and that’s because of how we regulate or don’t regulate guns.

The Nevada Gaming Commission has stated that it will be deploying a number of undercover agents to visit gaming properties in the state and keep a close watch on operations. Casino operators are also expected to carry out intensive training programs for their staff to help them be able to identify suspicious activity and guests who are behaving in a strange manner. They will have to report their suspicions immediately to a central team that will then be trained to take necessary steps to investigate the suspected threat.

Adrian Sterne

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