At a time when the new coronavirus threatens not only public health and safety but also the livelihoods of small-business owners, Las Vegas entrepreneurs are adapting or upending their business models to continue serving their communities. In turn, they hope locals will continue to support them.

It’s hard to imagine a place that stands to lose more during the coronavirus outbreak than Las Vegas. Its economy is built on big gatherings: casinos and concerts, conferences and clubs. According to the Nevada Resort Association, a quarter of all Nevada workers are in the hospitality industry.

Stephen M. Miller, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, gives insight into how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts American economies.

People walking the Strip on a brisk Friday evening took a moment to stop and listen to an unfamiliar sound that has in recent days enveloped Las Vegas and may never come again: silence.

On the low end, Penn National Gaming is burning through $6.4 million daily having just 5.2 months before running out of cash, the report said.

The U.S. convention industry is expected to lose billions of dollars in revenue, as businesses restrict employee travel and governments ban large gatherings in the face of the coronavirus, an industry group said.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman said she is “painfully” aware of the many residents living paycheck to paycheck in the city and is asking Gov. Steve Sisolak to shorten the 30-day shutdown of nonessential businesses.

Cities and states around the country are practicing self-isolation or sheltering in place. Nonessential businesses around the US have closed their doors. Streets are empty nationwide.