Every year, the Power of Love gala raises critical funds and awareness for the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health near Downtown Las Vegas.
Honored at the gala’s 24th edition this March, legendary singer-songwriter Neil Diamond, who has retired from touring following a diagnosis with Parkinson's disease, gave the love back with a surprise mini-concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
To borrow from Diamond’s 1982 album and song Heartlight, the Vegas community turned on its “Heartlight” as well during the coronavirus crisis.
Resorts including Tropicana, ARIA, Venetian/Palazzo and Wynn/Encore displayed encouraging images and messages on their darkened towers. Paris Las Vegas honored healthcare workers with a sparkling light show at its replica Eiffel Tower, in tandem with the Paris original. The tower and High Roller Observation Wheel at The LINQ Promenade also featured nightly red, white and blue illuminations.
Westgate Las Vegas President and General Manager Cami Christensen, whose passionate management style earned her “Executive of the Year” honors at the 2020 Silver State Awards, inked the names of all 2,200-plus employees on the casino’s giant red heart.
Photo: Cami Christensen wrote names of Westgate's 2,200+ employees on the casino's giant red heart; Credit: Westgate Las Vegas
Making a large donation of surgical masks and gloves to a local healthcare provider, Westgate is also one of many organizations taking action. Following are other examples of how Vegas, already an industry-leading CSR center, recently showed its love during one of the most trying periods of time for the meetings, events and hospitality industries.
Caesars Entertainment
Major support from Caesars Entertainment included donating approximately 116 pallets (116,000 pounds) of dairy, eggs, produce and other perishables to Three Square Food Bank. Critically supporting food-insecure Las Vegans in ordinary times, the nonprofit’s Coronavirus Emergency Food Fund includes 43 area emergency food distribution sites.
Caesars donated more perishables to other Vegas organizations and is helping communities it serves around the nation. Other local efforts include providing gloves, masks and sanitizers from inventory to University Medical Center, Las Vegas.
Wynn Resorts
Wynn Resorts’ wide-ranging distributions included $2.5 million-plus worth of goods to local medical facilities and nonprofits. The donation covers 240,000 N95-equivalent, CDC-approved respirator masks, 600,000 surgical masks, 500,000 pairs of medical gloves, and thousands of medical gowns. Plus, thousands of protective gloves and surgical masks to local nursing homes and law enforcement facilities.
Additionally, Wynn donated $750,000 worth of food to 15 food banks in Las Vegas and three in Boston. The charitable Wynn Employee Foundation donated $100,000 to Three Square, and $25,000 in funds to Boston’s Bread of Life food bank. The company also pledged 14,000 meals worth $70,000 to the Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada.
Photo: The Venetian "LOVE" lights; Courtesy of The Venetian Las Vegas
Las Vegas Sands Corp.
The operator of the Venetian/Palazzo Resorts, Las Vegas Sands Corp. has donated 60 pallets of fresh produce, proteins and other items to Three Square, equivalent to 56,723 meals. Plus, $250,000 to the food bank and two other community organizations.
After donating 100,000 masks to local healthcare workers, 5,000 masks to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, and 1,900 coronavirus test kits to Nevada, Sands donated one-million surgical masks to each of Nevada and New York, and 20,000 protective suits to Nevada.
[Related: Las Vegas Female Culinary Leaders Share Their Ingredients for Success]
Other significant community outreach includes water and dry goods; toilet paper and paper towels; and soap and hygiene kits.
MGM Resorts International
With former CEO Jim Murren now leading Nevada’s COVID-19 Task Force, MGM Resorts International leveraged its international supply chain to source some 200,000 gloves and 261,000 gowns for Nevada healthcare workers.
The company also supported the transport and storage of 250,000 COVID-19 rapid test kits. MGM has also donated nearly 463,000 meals, as well as personal hygiene supplies, furniture and other items, to community partners throughout the country.
More Notable Food Donors
Led by Executive Chef Kristine Raymer, Centerplate, the Las Vegas Convention Center’s exclusive food and beverage partner, donated approximately 9,240 pounds of prepared food to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission in the wake of canceled or rescheduled shows.
Relaunched last year with the slogan of “For the Love of Vegas,” SAHARA Las Vegas donated all leftover food from an employee food drive to Three Square.
Photo: Three Square Donation; Credit: Caesars Entertainment
All resort kitchens and restaurant partners at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas contributed food items to a 10-pallet donation to Three Square, and additional pallets to the Just One Project.
Treasure Island Hotel & Casino is supporting local community food banks with perishable items including fruit, dairy products and vegetables.
Other major food donors include Boyd Gaming, Golden Entertainment and Stations Casinos.
More inspiring stories from the coronavirus crises.
