After 700 workers from Culinary Union Local 226 organized a strike against Virgin Hotels Las Vegas that lasted 48 hours, the standoff is now over. The strike, which started on May 10, aimed to put pressure on Virgin Hotels Las Vegas executives to sign a new five-year contract which will provide employees with better wages and bebefits.

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Employees Demand Fair Deal

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, and laundry and kitchen staff set up picket lines outside the company’s property located very near the Las Vegas Strip and previously known as Hard Rock Las Vegas, reported the Associated Press.

The union’s Secretary-Treasurer, Ted Pappageorge, said that Virgin Hotels Las Vegas employees hope that their strike will help fast-track the stalled negotiation process and a new agreement will be reached. Following the strike, talks will start again on May 14.

Prior to the strike, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas filed a complaint at the National Labor Relations Board against its employees stating that the union was not sincere in its negotiation efforts. Pappageorge countered the company’s claims defining them as mere corporate tactics.

The Virgin Hotels Las Vegas workers strike comes on the backdrop of a series of negotiations with various Las Vegas hospitality industry giants, which took place earlier this year. As other union members employed by Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino and Golden Nugget Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, for example, achieved substantial wager increases for the next five years, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas employees were left behind. This prompted dissatisfaction among workers, which eventually led to the recent strike.

Workers Optimistic as Negotiations Continue

Ted Pappageorge commented that the contract with Virgin Hotels Las Vegas expired on June 1, 2023, making it almost a year since the company’s employees were left without a new one. This prolonged period without job security and better payment conditions on the backdrop of increased inflation and economic challenges is not to be tolerated, hence, the union resorted to strike measures.

The strike at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is relatively small in scale compared to previous strike action organized or planned by the Culinary Union. However, its impact was significant considering the property’s strategic location near both the Las Vegas Strip and the Las Vegas airport. As negotiations continue both the Culinary Union and its members are positive regarding a quick resolution in their favor providing them with fair wages and increased benefits.

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The Culinary Union, the largest union in Nevada, representing some 60,000 workers across the entertainment and hospitality sector in the state, called for a 48-hour strike at Virgin Las Vegas, amid dragging negotiations for better conditions for employees of the venue. Ultimately, the union fights for better working conditions for the 700 hospitality workers at Virgin Las Vegas.

The call for the strike marks a historic moment as the property has never been subject to a strike from the Culinary and Bartenders Union before. The strike is planned to start at 5 AM on Friday, May 10 and continue through Sunday, May 12 at 4:59 AM.

Although the union had organized a main table negotiation with Virgin Las Vegas on Tuesday, at the time of writing, there’s no information suggesting that the discussions had a positive outcome. During the time of the strike, the union urges “the community and customers to support workers and to not patronize or cross picketing happening on strike lines.”

The negotiations and potential strike come at a time when workers at Virgin Hotel Las Vegas expect a new 5-year union contract. With the strike, the Culinary Union seeks to ensure better working conditions for the venue’s employees. If the strike takes place as planned, it is expected to impact all areas of the venue’s operations, including departments such as food and beverage, housekeeping and even restaurants. Unionized restaurants at Virgin Las Vegas include The Bar at Commons Club, Juice Bar, Casa Calavera, Funny Library Coffee Shop, The Shag Room and The Kitchen at Commons Club.

The Strike Comes at a Time When Employees Expect a New 5-Year Contract

Ted Pappageorge, the Culinary Union’s secretary-treasurer, spoke about the expired contract for the workers at Virgin Las Vegas. He said that after the contract expired on June 1, 2023, it has now been nearly a year and those employees still do not have a new contract in place. Pappageorge encouraged community members and customers not to cross the strike line and show support for the employees who are on strike.

Additionally, the secretary-treasurer said that Virgin Las Vegas employees deserve fair wages and better job security and they are ready to go on a strike to achieve this goal. “As Virgin Las Vegas workers go on strike on Friday, May 10th, the Culinary Union has their back every step of the way and we will win,” added Pappageorge.

“It’s been nearly one year since the contract at Virgin Las Vegas expired on June 1, 2023 and workers are still working without a contract, that’s why the Culinary Union has called for a 48-hour strike at the Virgin Las Vegas and urge the community and customers to not cross the strike line.“

Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer at the Culinary Union

He spoke about the Culinary Union’s extensive efforts over nearly nine decades that helped ensure the well-being and potential growth of workers across Nevada. Last but not least, Pappageorge vowed the union will continue to support its members, promoting fair wages, job security, better health care and other benefits for hospitality workers.

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Virgin Bet has introduced its inaugural Women’s Day event – a celebration that will provide appreciation to the women in racing and nurture an inclusive environment.

The social event will take place at the Virgin Bet Raceday on March 9 at Ayr Racecourse, allowing the operator to extensively promote its message. The Women’s Day event is notably a part of the gambling company’s A Good Bet initiative, showcasing the operator’s commitment to promoting inclusivity.

The new event will see Virgin Bet empower women in racing. The operator will therefore offer a variety of exclusive experiences to players, such as providing female visitors with the opportunity to pick the Best Turned Out Award before each race and present the trophies to the eventual victors.

In addition, Virgin Bet will team up with WalkSafe, an app developed to help women feel safe when walking alone. The operator will also make a donation to Ayr Racecourse’s charity partner, Ayrshire Cancer Support.

Virgin Bet Wants to Celebrate the Uncelebrated

In addition to other activations, Virgin Bet has also teamed up with presenter Natalie Pike who agreed to host the Women’s Day events. Commenting on the matter, Pike said that she is excited to be a part of this project and hopes to inspire “the next generation of incredible women working in horse racing.”

Sport is for everyone, and activations such as this are crucial to ensuring inclusivity and safety for women at events, and ultimately heroing the brilliant people who work in the sport.

Natalie Pike

Virgin Bet’s marketing director, Ric Leask, also commented on the initiative, saying that his team wants to provide exposure and support to the many women in the horse racing industry. According to Leask, these women are, sadly, often uncelebrated and un-thanked.

Leask concluded: “At Virgin Bet, as part of our “A Good Bet” brand campaign, we want to make sport more accessible and to highlight brilliance, no matter who the subject, and this initiative is doing exactly that.”

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Ayr Racecourse has welcomed this ongoing commitment on behalf of the sportsbook and said that the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup has reached a value of £180,000 ($235,000) and continues to be a perpetual source of excitement for fans.

Ayr Racecourse Finds Unfaltering Partner

The event has also grown in prominence and has been able to engage with fans of horse racing, not least thanks to the backing of the bookmaker. The venue also hosts the Gold Cup and Silver Cup, as well as the Bronze Cup, making it the only venue that keeps all three in the same place across the United Kingdom.

As to Virgin Bet’s actual commitment to the event, the sportsbook will be sponsoring the entire three-day Festival which will kick off on Thursday, September 21, and will also feature the Virgin Bet Kilkerran Cup. On Friday, the festival will then feature Virgin Bet Bronze Cup and the sportsbook will similarly sponsor the Saturday Gold Cup race as well.

Commenting on this opportunity, Ayr managing director David Brown has expressed his thanks to the new sponsor and the significance of this ongoing relationship with the bookmaker:

The Virgin Bet name will be associated with the entire 3-day Festival once again and, as well as the Ayr Gold Cup itself, another 8 key contests over the 3-days will be sponsored by Virgin Bet, including the prestigious Firth Of Clyde Stakes for 2-year-olds and the mile and a quarter Doonside Cup.

Virgin Bet marketing director Ric Leask was similarly excited about the event. He said that it was with great pleasure that his company was offering sponsorship for the event for a third consecutive year.

The Rising Star and Fixture in British Sports Betting

“Virgin Bet remains committed to being a leading player in the world of horse racing, and sponsoring this prestigious race demonstrates this,” Leask added. Virgin Bet is one of the newest sports betting companies in the United Kingdom. The company was launched in 2019 in the market, and it received accolades as “The Rising Star” from SBC 2021.

Virgin Bet works closely with LiveScore Group to deliver some of the best sports betting experiences. Just as well, the company continues to sponsor prominent racing and sports events.

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Mohegan Casino Las Vegas located at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, opened its doors for visitors two years ago. On Thursday, the venue confirmed that in light of its two-year anniversary, it joined forces with Virgin Voyages to deliver unique experiences for its loyal customers. Thanks to the new collaboration, the members of the company’s exclusive rewards program, Momentum Rewards, will be able to benefit from a unique giveaway.

Similar to other leading gaming companies, Mohegan’s rewards program also offers unique benefits and perks for its members. Tapping into Momentum, members can increase their status level by wagering on slot machines as well as table games. Starting from Core status, they can increase their level by hitting Ignite, Leap, Ascent, as well as the highest level, Soar. Increasing their level grants the rewards members access to unique personalized experiences throughout Mohegan’s resort in Las Vegas.

Now, celebrating its second anniversary, Mohegan Casino Las Vegas in collaboration with Virgin Voyages will be giving away five free 7-night Mediterranean Cruises. The drawing for the cruises with Virgin Voyages is free to enter for Momentum account members. They can claim a ticket for the giveaway via cashier cages through June 16 and June 17, 2023. Then, the drawing of the giveaway is planned for June 17 at 8:00 PM. According to Mohegan, the members that participate need to be present to win their prize.

The Companies Are Delighted to Join Forces

Jennifer Wengert, Virgin Voyages’ director, casino strategy and partnerships, shared her excitement about the new collaboration with Mohegan. She pointed out that the partnership enables casino guests to tap into new experiences.

Finally, Wengert said: “From our adults-only offering and elevated backdrop, to our commitment to incredible service, we see our beautiful lady ships as a seamless transition from the casino floor to playing on the high seas.”

“We’re thrilled to see this partnership come to life and have the opportunity to share the ship experience with casino guests, especially when we know there’s so much synergy between our brands.“

Jennifer Wengert, director, casino strategy and partnerships at Virgin Voyages

Only recently, Virgin Voyages secured first place in multiple categories within the Cruise Critic’s 2023 Cruisers’ Choice Awards. The prestigious awards recognized the company’s dedication to delivering unique experiences for its customers.

Joe Hasson, Mohegan Casino Las Vegas’ general manager, was similarly delighted about the new partnership. He outlined that Mohegan strives to connect with its growing customer base via new and unique ways. Finally, Hasson said that the collaboration with Virgin Voyages will ultimately deliver unique experiences for Momentum members.

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Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix bagged another high-profile sponsor, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, ahead of the return of the popular car racing series to the Silver City later in the year.

‘Thrilled to be Part of This Historic Event’

According to the official announcement made by Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, the hospitality chain has been named the official entitlement sponsor of the East Harmon Zone at the Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix that will take place in November this year.

Lia Rispoli, senior vice president of resort operations & asset management at JC Hospitality, commented with excitement on the sponsorship arrangement that will allow Virgin Hotels Las Vegas “to help create truly unique fan experiences in the East Harmon Zone for the race.”

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is thrilled to be part of this historic event and we look forward to a continued partnership with Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc.

Lia Rispoli, SVP of resort operations & asset management, JC Hospitality

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas will provide live entertainment and fan activations for visitors in the East Harmon Zone upon the return of the prominent car racing series to Las Vegas under the latest sponsorship agreement.

Unlike in 1982 – the last time F1 took place in Las Vegas – the circuit now is not built in the car park of Caesars Palace but has taken to the city streets, including a 2 km stretch along the famous Las Vegas Strip.

‘Create the Ultimate Fan Experience’

Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer of Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, pointed to the proximity of the East Harmon Zone to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas as one of the reasons to select the prominent hospitality brand “to curate programming and build an energetic environment” for the fans in the zone.

The talented team at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas are experts in creating memorable moments and together, we will create the ultimate fan experience.

Emily Prazer, CCO, F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

Scheduled as a night race, F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix will deliver a visual spectacle of the city’s glittering lights while drivers blast by famous hotels like the Venetian, Caesars Palace and the Bellagio and its iconic fountain along the 14-turn high-speed circuit.

Fans of car racing who elect to watch the race from the East Harmon Zone are guaranteed a view of the start and finish line and all the high-stakes drama as drivers fight for a more favorable position through the first two corners. The East Harmon Zone also offers a behind-the-scenes view of the pit lane and the team garages.

Last month, Formula 1 Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix announced that Hard Rock became one of the presenting partners for the inaugural race and will have its own Strip-adjacent grandstand structure for up to 3,000 fans.

In February, the global manufacturer of gaming equipment, Aristocrat Gaming, signed an agreement with Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc. to become the event’s official slot machines supplier and boost its brand among fans of the sport.

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