Las Vegas: M Resort lays off 169 employees

Penn National Gaming officials have announced the layoff of 159 staff members of the M Resort in Henderson, Las Vegas.

According to a spokesman for the parent company, the decision was directly tied to the coronavirus pandemic, ongoing operating restrictions, and low business volumes.

The layoffs are “the very unfortunate reality of not knowing how long this global public health threat will last or when we’ll be able to resume full operations,” spokesman Jeff Morris said.

Layoffs have become commonplace among local casino operators since the onset of the pandemic, which has caused Las Vegas occupancy rates to dip and hampered lucrative large-scale events like conventions, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

Penn has a COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund available for staff facing financial hardships and former staff members. As of December, the fund had roughly $2.7 million.

The company also announced Tuesday that it donated $1 million to The Barstool Fund, which supports small business owners across the country impacted by the pandemic. The company purchased a 36 percent stake in digital sports media company Barstool Sports Inc. in January.