Inauguration day has how come and gone, and President Joe Biden now holds executive power in the U.S. That could mean change for the gambling world, and all corners of the industry have come out to give their opinion.
There’s not much comment from the industry leaders themselves. The major casinos have not made any statements, and the online operators are sticking to sports. That leaves us with a bunch of commentary from the lobbyists.
AGA President and CEO Bill Miller already voiced his hopes Biden will help the industry recover. “Gaming — an economic engine in communities across 44 states — has been decimated by COVID-19, but our industry has always strongly responded to adversity,” he said in a Wednesday statement. “Together, with our new leaders in Washington, we can get millions of American hospitality employees back to work, reinvigorate our industry, support our small businesses, and bring desperately-needed revenue to our communities.”
Little can happen without reopening the country though, and the travel and hospitality industry have lots to say about the man who rode the train to work for so long.
“President Biden is acutely aware of the economic pain the pandemic has inflicted on our industry and its workforce,” U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow said. “It is well within reach to return America to the record growth the travel industry experienced prior to the pandemic through national strategies that will revive the American economy.”
Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion recovery plan could go a long way to helping achieve what Dow is talking about. Bigger stimulus checks and an expedited recovery from Covid-19 would definitely help the industry. However, the current known details of the plan don’t specify much direct support for travel or hospitality, with current talk centering on how hotels can be used as vaccination centers.
Despite that, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) is asking for whatever assistance it can get. “We continue to face historically low occupancy rates, massive job loss, and record hotel closures,” AHLA President and CEO Chip Rogers said. “Our industry needs help to retain and rehire our associates, revive our local communities, and restart our economy.”
“Hoteliers look forward to working with President Biden and his Administration on other key priorities, including comprehensive immigration reform, tax reform, and infrastructure investment,” he added.
