Las Vegas mayor offers city as ‘control group’ to see how many die without social distancing

Las Vegas mayor Carolyn Goodman has been called ‘reckless and dangerous’ after she called for casinos and businesses on the Las Vegas strip to reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I want our restaurants open. I want our small businesses open. I want people back in employment,” said Goodman during an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper on Wednesday.

“I’d love everything open because I think we’ve had viruses for years that have been here,” the mayor added. “I want us open in the city of Las Vegas so our people can go back to work.”

Asked how social distancing could be enforced inside casinos, Goodman told CNN’s Mr Cooper that “it’s up to them to figure out. I don’t own a casino. I don’t know anything about building a casino.”

“We have to open up”, continued the mayor, who suggested that the city’s death toll was “tragic” but should not stop millions of people going to work.

Questioned on how lifting current social distancing measures would increase that death toll, Goodman replied: “Well, how do you know unless you have a control group?”

She then added that an earlier offer to use Las Vegas as a control group was declined by statisticians.

The comments were criticised overnight, with Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft calling on Goodman to heed expert advice.

“[The mayor’s] defiance of Governor Sisolak’s stay-at-home order is reckless and dangerous,” said Mr Naft.

“I implore the Mayor to listen to the medical experts, to the Governor, and to all Nevadans who are focused on economic recovery as soon as it is medically sound.”

Goodman admitted that she does not represent the Las Vegas Strip, which is designated under Clark County and not the City of Las Vegas.

“I spent ten years on the Clark County Commission, and the Strip is governed by the Clark County Commission, not City Hall,” said Nevada governor Steve Sisolak. “I will never allow Southern Nevada or Nevadans to be used as some placebo in an experiment.”

Mayor Goodman later told the Las Vegas Review Journal that she had since received an “overwhelming” amount of support and hate for her comments.