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MGM Resorts International is an American global hospitality and
entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousa ...
company operating destination resorts in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
,
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Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
,
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...
, and
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, including Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, and Park MGM. The company began operations in 1987 as MGM Grand, Inc. and became MGM Mirage in 2000, after acquiring Mirage Resorts. In the mid-2000s, growth of its non-gaming (lodging, food, retail) revenue began to outpace gaming receipts and demand for high-rise condominiums was surging, with median property prices in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
twice the national average. The company shifted its focus from owning and operating resorts and casinos to developing and building real estate in the leisure and gaming industry—launching the massive CityCenter mixed-use project, which was at the time of its construction the world's largest construction site and ranks as one of the most expensive real estate projects in history. City Center's development coincided with the global financial crisis, causing more than $1 billion in writedowns in its valuation. Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian and his Tracinda Corporation were, until 2009, the majority shareholders of MGM Mirage; Kerkorian was the former owner of the
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
movie studio, from which MGM Grand derived its name. Following a $1 billion stock offering by MGM Mirage amidst the global credit crunch, Tracinda's shares were diluted from 53.8 percent to 39 percent. On June 15, 2010, shareholders voted for MGM Mirage to change its name to "MGM Resorts International". In 2015, the company split into two forming MGM Growth Properties, a real estate company, while MGM resorts shifted to operating properties.


History


Background and early ventures (1969–1988)

The company's background can be traced to 1969, when airline and casino tycoon Kirk Kerkorian bought a controlling stake in the
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
(MGM) film studio. In 1970 and 1971, Kerkorian struggled with debt from his acquisitions of MGM and Western Airlines, and was forced to sell a majority of his casino company, International Leisure, to
Hilton Hotels Hilton Hotels & Resorts (formerly known as Hilton Hotels) is a global brand of full-service hotels and resorts and the flagship brand of American multinational hospitality company Hilton. The original company was founded by Conrad Hilton. As ...
at a steep discount. When the Las Vegas Hilton, the casino he had built, subsequently became the most successful hotel in Las Vegas, Kerkorian was inspired to lead the studio into the gambling industry. It opened the original
MGM Grand Hotel and Casino Horseshoe Las Vegas (formerly MGM Grand Hotel and Casino and Bally's Las Vegas) is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. It originally opened as the MGM Grand Hotel on De ...
(now Bally's Las Vegas) in 1973. The MGM Grand Reno followed in 1978. By 1979, the two hotel-casinos accounted for most of MGM's income, and the company announced a plan to split itself in two. The next year, the film studio was spun off as a new company, while the original company, renamed as MGM Grand Hotels Inc., retained the two hotel-casinos. Kerkorian held a 47 percent stake in both companies. In 1985, Kerkorian began seeking a buyer for MGM Grand Hotels, to allow him to concentrate on running
United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...
and on developing new properties under the MGM Grand name. A deal was reached for Bally Manufacturing to buy the company; the deal closed in April 1986, and the two casinos were renamed under the Bally's brand. The terms of the sale allowed Kerkorian to retain rights to the MGM Grand name, and plans were announced to offer the stockholders of MGM Grand Hotels shares in a new company that would hold the naming rights. The company now known as MGM Resorts International was formed in 1986 as Grand Name Co. as a subsidiary of Kerkorian's Tracinda Corporation. It was renamed in 1987 as MGM Grand, Inc. The company's first venture was MGM Grand Air, a luxury airline offering service between New York and Los Angeles, which launched in September 1987. The company also made an offer to take over financially struggling
Pan American World Airways Pan American World Airways, originally founded as Pan American Airways and commonly known as Pan Am, was an American airline that was the principal and largest international air carrier and unofficial overseas flag carrier of the United State ...
, but this offer was rejected by Pan Am's board in November 1987. In August 1987, MGM Grand bid $152 million for the bankrupt
Dunes Hotel The Dunes was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It opened on May 23, 1955, as the tenth resort on the Strip. It was initially owned by a group of businessmen from out of state, but failed to prosper under their man ...
in Las Vegas, but was beat out by Japanese billionaire Masao Nangaku. Instead, the company acquired the Desert Inn and Sands casinos in February 1988 from
Summa Corporation Summa Corporation was a holding company for the business interests of Howard Hughes after he sold the tool division of Hughes Tool Company in 1972. Its holdings included casino hotels, aviation businesses, and television channels. After Hughes's d ...
for $167 million. The Sands was sold to Sheldon Adelson's Interface Group for $110 million in April 1989.


First casino developments (1989–1999)

In September 1989, the company announced plans for a $700-million Hollywood-themed complex, including a 4,000-room hotel and a theme park. The Desert Inn site was initially considered as a location for the project, but within weeks the location was finalized as the Marina Hotel and Casino and the Tropicana Country Club, which MGM Grand acquired for $93 million plus $30 million in stock. The company put the Desert Inn up for sale to focus efforts on the new project, but found no outside bidders, and agreed to sell it to Tracinda for $130 million. Construction on the
MGM Grand Las Vegas The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with 6,852 rooms. It is also the List of largest hotels, third-largest hotel complex in the w ...
and the MGM Grand Adventures theme park began in October 1991, and the property opened in December 1993 at a final cost of $1 billion. The park permanently closed in 2002 due to a lack of interest. The company moved its headquarters from Beverly Hills to Las Vegas in July 1992. During construction of the MGM Grand, the company acquired an option to buy an 18-acre site across the street from the project.
Gary Primm Gary Primm is a casino developer. He is the former chairman and chief executive of Primm Valley Resorts. Biography Primm grew up in San Marino, California. His father, Ernest Jay Primm, was an early developer of casinos. The town of Primm, Nevad ...
of
Primadonna Resorts Primm Valley Casino Resorts (formerly known as Primadonna Casino Resorts) is a group of three hotel-casinos in Primm, Nevada, along Interstate 15 at the California state line. They are owned and operated by Affinity Gaming. It is named after the P ...
approached MGM president Bob Maxey in 1994 with an idea for the site: a casino recreating the New York skyline. A joint venture was formed between the two companies, and construction began in March 1995. Completed at a cost of $460 million, the New York-New York Hotel and Casino opened in January 1997. With New York-New York under development, MGM Grand made moves to expand in several other markets. An exploratory agreement to develop two casinos on the Chinese island of Hainan was announced in August 1994, but came to nothing. In Darwin, Australia, a lucrative market attracting high rollers from Pacific Rim countries, the company considered building a hotel, but instead bought the Diamond Beach Hotel and Casino, renaming it as the MGM Grand Darwin. MGM announced plans for an Atlantic City casino in July 1996. In Michigan, where voters approved casinos in November 1996, MGM made plans for a bid on one of the three available gaming licenses, which would eventually be approved and open in July 1999 as the
MGM Grand Detroit The MGM Grand Detroit is one of three casino resort hotels in Detroit, Michigan, and one of four in the Detroit–Windsor area. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. The casino opened in its temporary locati ...
. In
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
, with casino gambling newly authorized, MGM announced plans in August 1996 to develop 15 properties in conjunction with
Tsogo Sun Tsogo Sun is a South African gaming, hotels and entertainment group. Tsogo Sun operates 15 casinos, 24 Galaxy Bingo sites, 1 Independent Site Operator Licence (ISO) as well as VSlots ("LPMs") Limited Pay-out Machines across nine provinces, incl ...
. The first, a temporary casino in
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...
's
Sundome is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuto Okada. It was serialized in Akita Shoten's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Young Champion'' from 2006 to 2009, with its chapters collected in eight ''tankōbon'' volumes. It was ada ...
, opened in October 1998. Three more casinos followed before MGM agreed to sell out its interest in the properties to Tsogo Sun in November 2001. Since the initiation of New York-New York, analysts had speculated that MGM Grand or Primadonna would buy out the other's interest in the project. Instead of making such a cash-intensive purchase, however, MGM agreed to buy Primadonna outright for $276 million in stock plus $336 million in assumed debt. The merger closed in March 1999, giving MGM ownership of three casinos and two golf courses at the Nevada–California state line, in addition to full control of New York-New York.


Mirage Resorts merger (2000)

In February 2000, MGM Grand made an unsolicited offer of $17 a share to buy Mirage Resorts, which had foundered due to disappointing results at its new Beau Rivage and Bellagio resorts. Analysts expected a protracted battle, with Mirage founder Steve Wynn seen as unwilling to give up control but under pressure from institutional investors. Mirage rejected the offer, but Wynn met with Kerkorian the next day and named a price of $21 a share. The companies agreed on the higher price, for a total of $4.4 billion plus $2 billion in assumed debt. The merger closed in May 2000, giving MGM ownership of the Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio,
Boardwalk A boardwalk (alternatively board walk, boarded path, or promenade) is an elevated footpath, walkway, or causeway built with wooden planks that enables pedestrians to cross wet, fragile, or marshy land. They are also in effect a low type of br ...
, and Golden Nugget casinos in Las Vegas, the Golden Nugget in Laughlin, and the Beau Rivage in Mississippi, and a half share of the Monte Carlo. The company changed its name to MGM Mirage in August 2000. Mirage had also owned a half stake in the Borgata, a planned casino in Atlantic City, in a joint venture managed by
Boyd Gaming Boyd Gaming Corporation is an American gaming and hospitality company based in Paradise, Nevada. The company continues to be run by founder Sam Boyd's family under the management of Sam's son, Bill Boyd (born 1931), who currently serves as th ...
. Work on the Borgata continued apace, and it would open in July 2003.


Stalled developments (2001–2004)

In 2001 and 2002, following the merger with Mirage, the company explored options for its next major development project, including in the Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Chicago, and Macau markets. The 55-acre site of the Boardwalk casino on the Las Vegas Strip was earmarked for a technologically advanced megaresort targeting a
Generation X Generation X (or Gen X for short) is the Western demographic cohort following the baby boomers and preceding the millennials. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1960s as starting birth years and the late 1970s to early 1980s ...
demographic. In Atlantic City, MGM shifted focus from its previously announced boardwalk site to a proposed billion-dollar hotel and casino on a 55-acre tract adjacent to the Borgata, where Wynn had planned to build the Le Jardin casino. In the Chicago market, MGM agreed to pay $600 million to buy the unfinished Emerald Casino in Rosemont, Illinois, whose investors had been accused of ties to organized crime. The deal was rejected, however, by state gaming regulators, and MGM then backed off its effort, saying that Illinois's casino tax was too high. In Macau, where
Stanley Ho Stanley Ho Hung-sun (; 25 November 192126 May 2020) was a Hong Kong- Macau billionaire businessman. His original patrilineal surname was Bosman, which was later sinicized to 何 (Ho). He was the founder and chairman of SJM Holdings, which ow ...
's 40-year government-granted monopoly on gambling was coming to an end, MGM submitted a bid for one of three available gaming concessions, but it was not selected, losing out to Ho, Las Vegas Sands, and Wynn Resorts. MGM made moves into the United Kingdom market after a 2001 government report called for loosening of the country's gambling regulations. It opened an online casino, playmgmmirage.com, licensed in the
Isle of Man ) , anthem = " O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europ ...
, a British dependency, and it applied for a license to run an online sports betting site in the U.K. It acquired a twenty-five percent stake in a company developing the small Triangle Casino in
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city, Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Glouces ...
, which went on to open its doors in February 2004. It inked deals to build casinos at the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, St James' Park in Newcastle, Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, Sportcity in Manchester, Glasgow Harbour, King's Waterfront in Liverpool, and at a proposed stadium in Salford. The company also signed a $490-million deal to acquire Wembley plc, owner of seven greyhound tracks in Britain and four in the United States. The British expansion plans ultimately amounted to nothing. MGM closed its online casino after less than two years, citing uncertainty in American regulations and competition from established British brands. The Wembley acquisition turned into a bidding war, with MGM finally losing out to an investors group including Kerzner International. The Triangle Casino was sold off to Stanley Leisure in 2006. The company's other development plans were scuttled as the government scaled down, and eventually abandoned, the plan to allow large " super-casinos". In 2004, the company disposed of some of its smaller properties, selling the two Golden Nugget casinos (
Golden Nugget Las Vegas The Golden Nugget Las Vegas is a luxury hotel and casino located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada on the Fremont Street Experience. The property is owned and operated by Landry's, Inc. It has 2,419 hotel rooms. History The Golden Nugget was orig ...
and
Golden Nugget Laughlin The Golden Nugget Laughlin (formerly the Nevada Club) is a hotel and casino located on the banks of the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Landry's, Inc. It offers a number of restaurants, 300 guest rooms and suites, ...
) to Poster Financial Group for $215 million, and the MGM Grand Darwin to Skycity Entertainment for $140 million.


Mandalay merger (2004–2005)

MGM entered into quiet merger talks with Mandalay Resort Group in early 2004. The potential acquisition would give MGM control of more than half the hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. Mandalay assets attractive to MGM included low-end casinos like Excalibur and Circus Circus to broaden MGM's "high roller" appeal; the
Mandalay Bay Convention Center Mandalay Bay Convention Center is attached to the Mandalay Bay resort, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The facility is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. It is among the largest convention centers in the U.S. It ...
, which would allow MGM to compete directly with the Sands Expo center in the convention market; and at least two prime developable sites on the Strip. The talks went public in June, when MGM announced an offer worth $7.65 billion. Mandalay rejected that offer because of a clause allowing MGM to back out if antitrust regulators demanded the sale of any properties. Analysts speculated that another bidder such as Harrah's or Boyd might enter, but none did, and MGM and Mandalay soon agreed on a $7.9 billion deal. MGM executives were confident that antitrust regulators would not require the sale of any of the two companies' properties. Michigan law, however, forbade one company from owning multiple casinos, requiring the sale of either the MGM Grand Detroit or Mandalay's 54 percent stake in the MotorCity Casino. After some vacillation about which property to sell, Mandalay accepted a $525-million offer for its interest in MotorCity from Marian Ilitch, the casino's second largest shareholder. Meanwhile, in Illinois, where MGM needed regulatory approval to take over Mandalay's 50 percent interest in the
Grand Victoria Casino The Grand Victoria Casino Elgin is a riverboat casino in Elgin, Illinois, United States, located about west of Chicago. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. History The casino was developed by Gold Strike Resorts and Hyatt. It open ...
, a lack of quorum on the state Gaming Board threatened to delay the merger. MGM considered a sale to the casino's other owner, the Pritzker family, but ultimately gained approval for a plan to place the property under control of a trustee until completion of the licensing process. The FTC approved the merger as predicted, and MGM obtained a $7 billion line of credit to finance it. The sale closed on April 25, 2005 for a total of $7.9 billion, including $3 billion in assumed debt. The Mandalay acquisition made MGM Mirage the largest gaming company in the world, but it was surpassed just two months later when Harrah's Entertainment acquired Caesars Entertainment in a deal that had been spurred on by news of the MGM-Mandalay merger.


Later developments (2004–2006)

Despite MGM's initial failure to win a gaming concession in Macau, the company had remained interested in the burgeoning gaming market. Rumors of a possible partnership with Stanley Ho were reported in 2003, but Nevada gaming regulators informally vetoed the idea because of the alleged involvement of organized crime triads in his casinos. Another possibility emerged when the government allowed the three gaming concessionaires to each sell a sub-concession. In June 2004, MGM formed a joint venture with
Pansy Ho Pansy Catalina Ho Chiu-king (; born 26 August 1962) is a Hong Kong-Canadian billionaire businesswoman who is the daughter of Macau-based businessman Stanley Ho, and the managing director of various companies he founded, including Shun Tak Holdi ...
, Stanley's daughter, to develop a casino-hotel under a sub-concession from Stanley. Despite initial concerns about whether Pansy Ho was subject to her father's influence, the Nevada Gaming Commission eventually approved the partnership. Construction of the
MGM Grand Macau MGM Macau (; formerly known as MGM Grand Macau) is a 35-story, 600-room casino resort in Sé, Macau. Under a sub concession approved by the Macau government, the project is owned and operated ...
began in June 2005. The property opened in December 2007, completed at a cost of $1.25 billion. In 2004, MGM solidified its plans for the Boardwalk site on the Strip, announcing Project CityCenter, an $8-billion high-density project including hotels, condominiums, a casino, and a shopping mall. The Boardwalk was closed in January 2006 to make way for the redevelopment, and CityCenter construction began the following June.
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
emerged in 2004 as the next major new Asian gaming market, calling for proposals to build two "
integrated resort An integrated resort (IR) is a major resort property that includes a hotel with a casino, together with convention facilities, entertainment shows, theme parks, luxury retail and fine dining. The term is largely Singaporean. Earlier IR ...
" casinos at Marina Bay and the island of Sentosa. MGM partnered with CapitaLand in an estimated $3 billion bid for the Marina Bay site. Their bid advanced to the final stage against three competitors, and was seen as the favorite to win. The government awarded the license, however, to Las Vegas Sands, citing its strength in the meetings and conventions sector. On April 25, 2006, MGM Mirage announced with Foxwoods Resort and Casino a joint partnership in developing an expansion plan at Foxwoods that will include a casino using the MGM Grand brand. On October 16, 2006, MGM Mirage announced that it planned to sell its properties in Laughlin ( Colorado Belle Hotel & Casino and
Edgewater Hotel and Casino The Edgewater Hotel and Casino is a casino hotel on the banks of the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nevada, owned and operated by Golden Entertainment. Facilities The hotel has 1,053 rooms divided between two towers: a large 26-story tower, Sedona ...
) to a partnership of Anthony Marnell III and Sher Gaming. The sale price was $200 million. The sale closed on June 1, 2007. On October 31, 2006, MGM Mirage announced plans to sell Primm Valley Resorts to
Herbst Gaming Affinity Interactive, formerly known as Herbst Gaming and Affinity Gaming, is an American private casino and sports betting company based in Paradise, Nevada. It operates eight casinos in Nevada, Missouri, and Iowa, and publishes the '' Daily ...
for $400 million. The proposed sale would not include the Primm Valley Golf Club. The sale closed on April 10, 2007. The Nevada Landing Hotel and Casino closed a month earlier than planned on March 20, 2007.


Dubai World investment (2007–2009)

On April 19, 2007 the company announced that it planned to purchase a site from Concord Wilshire Partners for $130 million and a site from Gordon Gaming for $444 million. The two parcels give the company complete control of the southwest corner of the Sahara and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection. When combined with underused parts of the Circus Circus site, the company will have a site for future development. The Concord site had been the proposed location for the Maxim Casino. On August 22, 2007, Dubai World said it would buy a 9.5 percent stake in MGM for about $2.4 billion. It would also invest about $2.7 billion to acquire a 50 percent stake in MGM's CityCenter project. Dubai World would pay MGM Mirage an additional $100 million if the project opened on time and on budget. The investment firm would buy 14.2 million shares from MGM Mirage. The firm would also issue a public tender for an additional 14.2 million shares at the same price. On October 29, 2008, MGM Mirage halted a $5 billion Atlantic City project on land next to the Borgata. At about the same time, New Jersey gambling regulators were evaluating MGM Mirage's suitability to operate casinos in New Jersey, and were unconvinced that MGM Mirage's Macau partner, Pansy Ho, could operate independently from influence of her father, Stanley Ho. The latter was often accused of ties with Chinese organized crime and letting the gangs operate in his casinos' VIP rooms. Faced with not complying with New Jersey gaming regulations, MGM Mirage decided to divest the highly profitable Borgata in order to continue pursuing the even more lucrative Chinese market.Asian casino magnate denies organized crime ties
(AOL)
MGM Mirage subsequently transferred its 50% share in the Borgata to a divestiture trust through which it received all benefit of the ownership. The trust was responsible for selling MGM's interest within 30 months, although MGM had the right to direct the trustee during the first 18 months. On December 16, 2008, MGM Mirage announced the sale of its Las Vegas Treasure Island resort and casino to billionaire
Phil Ruffin Phillip Gene Ruffin (born March 14, 1935) is an American businessman. He owns the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, in addition to a number of other enterprises including hotels, casinos, greyhound ...
. The sale was completed on March 20, 2009 for $600 million in cash plus a $175 million promissory note. On March 23, 2009 Dubai World and Infinity World announced that they had filed a lawsuit in the Delaware Chancery Court seeking to be released from their CityCenter joint venture agreement with MGM Mirage after the company filed its annual report stating that "there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern," and "it cannot provide assurance that its business would generate sufficient cash flow from operation." Starting on April 6, 2009 news reports surfaced that MGM Mirage had hired investment firm Morgan Stanley to assist the company in finding possible buyers for the MGM Grand Detroit and the Beau Rivage.


Name change and recent years (2010–present)

On June 15, 2010, shareholders approved a name change from MGM Mirage to "MGM Resorts International", to emphasize the brand's global scope and increased non-gaming strategy. In April 2011 an initial public offering was announced for the MGM Macau property. Under the agreement, Pansy Ho would receive a 29 percent stake in the company, MGM China Holdings Ltd, which was created as a listing vehicle for the IPO. MGM Resorts would hold 51 percent and the public would receive 20 percent. MGM China raised $1.5 billion from its IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In January 2013, MGM China received government approval to build its second resort in Macau. In 2013, MGM won state licenses to build a $1-billion resort in National Harbor, Maryland and a $950-million resort in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts.Stutz, Howard
"Massachusetts voters approve MGM Resorts' casino plan"
" The Las Vegas Review-Journal", Las Vegas, NV. 18 July 2013. Retrieved on 22 May 2014.
In May 2014, MGM broke ground on a $375-million arena on the Las Vegas Strip with sports and entertainment company
AEG Allgemeine Elektricitäts-Gesellschaft AG (AEG; ) was a German producer of electrical equipment founded in Berlin as the ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' in 1883 by Emil Rathenau. During the Second World War, ...
.Snell, Alan
"Shovels in the ground, confetti in the air"
" The Las Vegas Review-Journal", Las Vegas, NV. 1 May 2014. Retrieved on 22 May 2014.
In 2013, Foxwoods and MGM ended their relationship, and the MGM Grand at Foxwoods was renamed the Fox Tower. On May 1, 2014, the company broke ground on the $375-million T-Mobile Arena located behind New-New York Hotel and Casino, in partnership with AEG Live. The arena opened on April 6, 2016. In September 2014, MGM purchased the
naming rights Naming rights are a financial transaction and form of advertising or memorialization whereby a corporation, person, or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, object, location, program, or event, typically for a defined period of ...
for a new baseball stadium in Biloxi, resulting in
MGM Park MGM Park is a baseball park in Biloxi, Mississippi. The home of the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers of the Southern League, it opened on June 6, 2015, and can seat up to 6,067 people. The stadium was the site of the 2019 Southern League All-Star G ...
. That same year, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission approved a license for
MGM Springfield MGM Springfield is a hotel and casino complex situated in the heart of Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. Opening on August 24, 2018 in a block of buildings that are historically or culturally influential to Springfield, it ...
, an $800-million project. MGM sold several properties in 2015, including the
Railroad Pass Casino Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino, named after nearby Railroad Pass, is a hotel and casino located in Henderson, Nevada. The casino has of gaming space, with 323 slot machines and six table games, and a William Hill sports and race book. Location T ...
, the Gold Strike, and properties in Reno (
Circus Circus Reno Circus Circus Reno is a hotel and casino located in Downtown Reno, Nevada. It anchors a network of connected hotel-casinos in the downtown Reno core that includes Silver Legacy Reno and Eldorado Reno and are owned and operated by Caesars Entertain ...
and a 50 percent stake in the Silver Legacy) were sold to Eldorado Resorts for $72.5 million. In April 2016, MGM held an initial public offering for MGM Growth Properties (MGP), a new real estate investment trust (REIT) with ownership of ten of the company's casinos; the parent company would continue to operate the casinos under a lease agreement. The offering raised $1.05 billion, and left MGM Resorts with 76 percent ownership of the REIT. In June 2016, MGM announced a joint venture with Sydell Group to renovate and rebrand the Monte Carlo as the Park MGM, named after the adjacent dining and entertainment district, The Park, that opened in April 2016. In August 2016, MGM bought out Boyd Gaming's interest in the Borgata for $900 million, and then sold the property to MGP for $1.2 billion and leased it back for $100 million per year. In 2017, MGM launched two online ventures under the PlayMGM brand: an online sportsbook in Nevada, and an online casino in New Jersey. In October 2017, MGM purchased the San Antonio Stars of the Women's National Basketball Association. The team was moved to Mandalay Bay Events Center and began play as the Las Vegas Aces in 2018. In August 2018, MGM and Hyatt sold the Grand Victoria Casino to Eldorado Resorts for $328 million. In January 2019, MGM bought Yonkers Raceway and Empire City Casino in New York from the Rooney family for $850 million, and then immediately sold the land and buildings to MGP for $625 million, and leased them back for $50 million per year. In 2018, MGM Resorts signed a gaming partnership with NFL team the New York Jets. in 2019, MGM sold two resorts on the Las Vegas strip: Bellagio and Circus Circus. They sold their real estate assets of Bellagio to Blackstone Group while selling Circus Circus to Phil Ruffin. In 2020, they sold their real estate assets of MGM grand and Mandalay Bay to a joint venture between Blackstone and mgm growth properties. in 2021, they bought 50% of Dubai world’s share of city center and sold the real estate assets of Aria and Vdara to Blackstone and later purchased the operating assets of
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (commonly referred to simply as The Cosmopolitan or The Cosmo) is a resort casino and hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The resort opened on December 15, 2010, and is located just south of the B ...
and later sold the Mirage to Hard Rock International.


Response to the COVID-19 pandemic

In August 2020, MGM cut 18,000 job positions as a result of the effects of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. The job cuts represent one fourth of its workforce, which before the start of the pandemic was 68,000.


Attempts to block tribal casino developments

MGM lobbied the Trump administration against giving federal approval for a casino operated by two native tribes in East Windsor, Connecticut. The casino would have provided competition to a MGM casino across border in Massachusetts.


MGM Hospitality

In 2007, MGM Hospitality was established to operate hotels, resorts and residences in key destinations around the globe using the brands of Bellagio, MGM Grand and Skylofts. In 2009, the company formed Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, a joint venture with Diaoyutai State Guesthouse of China (the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s venue for VIPs) which develops and operates 5-star hotels and resorts in China. In 2014, MGM and Hakkasan Group announced the formation of a joint venture named MGM Hakkasan Hospitality, which would develop non-gaming hotels around the world. The partnership was terminated a year later.


BetMGM

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's May 2018 ruling that struck down the PASPA sports betting ban, in July 2018, MGM announced a 50/50 joint venture with UK gambling operator GVC Holdings (now known as
Entain Entain plc, formerly GVC Holdings, is an international sports betting and gambling company. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It owns brands such as bwin, Coral, Ladbrokes, PartyPoker, and ...
) to create a sports betting and online gaming platform targeting the U.S. market in states where such activities are legal. In January 2019, the joint venture was named Roar Digital. Additionally with the move into sports betting MGM announced official partnerships with several North American professional sports leagues, including the National Basketball Association, the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
, and
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
. In September of the same year, the company announced a partnership with sports bar chain restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings. The partnership will involve Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars across the country showcasing custom sportsbook content on TV screens inside the bars, featuring live odds provided by BetMGM, as well as the establishment of three new Buffalo Wild Wings sports bars within MGM properties or in partnership with BetMGM as additional states come online. At the end of October 2019, the company established a betting partnership with Yahoo Sports to connect its sports betting online platform to the popular sports website. At the end of October 2019, the company established a betting partnership with Yahoo Sports to connect its sports betting online platform to the popular fantasy sports platform. In addition to the company's partnerships with leagues, on July 9, 2020, BetMGM announced an exclusive betting partnership with the Denver Broncos of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
. BetMGM would follow this deal with multiple betting partnerships with other NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, and Pittsburgh Steelers. In late 2020 through early 2021, BetMGM continued to develop its partnership library with other teams in other leagues, including the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL, Washington Nationals of MLB, and Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, as well as with other business ventures like TopGolf to extend the company's brand image to new bettors in operating markets. In May 2021, BetMGM signed a deal with the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
to become the official gaming partner of the NFL team. On November 8, 2021, BetMGM, along with 8 other sports gaming operators, were awarded sports betting licenses by the New York State Gaming Commission. New York will be the largest sports gaming market in the United States when operators launch their applications in 2022. Additionally, on the same day, BetMGM agreed to a multi-year marketing partnership with
Madison Square Garden Sports Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (also known as MSG Sports) is an American sports holding company based in New York City. MSG Sports manages professional sports teams. These include the National Basketball Association's New York Knicks and t ...
and will become an official sports gaming sponsor for both the New York Knicks of the NBA and
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its ho ...
of the NHL. On September 14, 2022, BetMGM entered into a naming rights agreement with NJ Transit to becoming the naming sponsor of the
Meadowlands Rail Line The Meadowlands Rail Line, branded as the BetMGM Meadowlands Rail Line as part of a naming rights agreement, is a rail line in New Jersey, United States, operated by NJ Transit Rail Operations (NJT). Trains run between the Meadowlands Sports Com ...
for $3 million over the next 3 years. The rail line is a special event shuttle train that offers rail service to and from MetLife Stadium only during New York Giants and New York Jets home football games, as well as major concerts and other sporting events.


MGM Resorts International properties

All U.S. properties (excluding golf courses and where otherwise indicated) are fully owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM through a long-term triple net lease agreement.


Las Vegas Strip

* Bellagio (leased from The Blackstone Group) * The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (leased from Blackstone, Cherng Family Trust, and Stonepeak Partners) * CityCenter (leased from Blackstone) ** Aria Resort & Casino ** Vdara * Park MGM * New York-New York * T-Mobile Arena (42.5% ownership stake by MGM Resorts International) *
MGM Grand Las Vegas The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with 6,852 rooms. It is also the List of largest hotels, third-largest hotel complex in the w ...
(Blackstone 49.9% ownership) **
MGM Grand Garden Arena The MGM Grand Garden Arena (originally known as the MGM Grand Garden Special Events Center) is a 17,000-seat multi-purpose arena located within the MGM Grand Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. Sporting events From its opening on December 18, 1993 ...
** Skylofts at MGM Grand ** The Mansion at MGM Grand **
The Signature at MGM Grand The Signature at MGM Grand is a condo-hotel at the MGM Grand resort in Paradise, Nevada, near the Las Vegas Strip. It consists of three towers, each 38 stories in height, with a total of 1,728 units. MGM Mirage and Turnberry Associates partnere ...
* Excalibur * Luxor * Mandalay Bay (Blackstone 49.9% ownership) **
Delano Las Vegas Delano Las Vegas (formerly known as THEhotel) is a 43-story 1,117-room luxury suite hotel. It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. It is located within the Mandalay Bay complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It opened ...
**
Mandalay Bay Convention Center Mandalay Bay Convention Center is attached to the Mandalay Bay resort, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The facility is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. It is among the largest convention centers in the U.S. It ...
** Michelob Ultra Arena


Mississippi

* Beau RivageBiloxi, Mississippi *
Gold Strike Casino Resort Gold Strike may refer to: *Gold Strike (drink), alcoholic drink * Gold Strike (horse), Canadian champion racehorse *Gold Strike Tunica, casino hotel in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, U.S. *Gold Strike Resorts, a Nevada, U.S., family of gaming compani ...
Tunica Resorts, Mississippi


China

* Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality – China (joint venture with Diaoyutai State Guesthouse) ** Bellagio Shanghai
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four Direct-administered municipalities of China, direct-administered municipalities of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the ...
** Diaoyutai Boutique Hotel Chengdu –
Chengdu Chengdu (, ; simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), alternatively romanized as Chengtu, is a sub-provincial city which serves as the capital of the Chinese provin ...
** Diaoyutai Hotel Hangzhou –
Hangzhou Hangzhou ( or , ; , , Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ), also Chinese postal romanization, romanized as Hangchow, is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang, China. It is located in the northwestern part of the prov ...
** MGM Grand Sanya
Sanya Sanya (; also spelled Samah) is the southernmost city on Hainan Island, and one of the four prefecture-level cities of Hainan Province in South China. According to the 2020 census, the total population of Sanya was 1,031,396 inhabitants, livi ...
* MGM China – Macau, China (56% ownership stake) **
MGM Cotai MGM Cotai is a casino resort in Cotai, Macau, China that opened on the 13th of February in 2018. It is owned by MGM Resorts International. MGM Cotai is its second property in Macau, the first being the MGM Macau. The hotel consists of 1,390 ro ...
Cotai Cotai (; pt, Zona do Aterro de Cotai) is a piece of newly reclaimed land on top of Seac Pai Bay between Taipa and Coloane islands in Macau, that has made two independent islands become one island, since 2005. The word (a portmanteau of Co ...
** MGM Macau


Other properties

* BorgataAtlantic City, New Jersey *
MGM Grand Detroit The MGM Grand Detroit is one of three casino resort hotels in Detroit, Michigan, and one of four in the Detroit–Windsor area. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International. The casino opened in its temporary locati ...
Detroit, Michigan (98% ownership stake) *
MGM National Harbor MGM National Harbor is a casino hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. It opened on December 8, 2016, constructed at a cost of $1.4 billion. It is owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International ...
National Harbor, Maryland * MGM Northfield ParkNorthfield, Ohio *
MGM Springfield MGM Springfield is a hotel and casino complex situated in the heart of Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. Opening on August 24, 2018 in a block of buildings that are historically or culturally influential to Springfield, it ...
Springfield, Massachusetts * Yonkers Raceway & Empire City CasinoYonkers, New York


Golf courses

* Dragon Ridge Country Club – Las Vegas, Nevada * Fallen Oak Golf Course – Saucier, Mississippi * Primm Valley Golf ClubNipton, California * Reflection Bay Golf Course – Las Vegas, Nevada *
Shadow Creek Golf Course Shadow Creek is an eighteen-hole golf course in North Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, owned by MGM Resorts International. History The course opened in 1989, was built on a site, at a reported cost of 60 million dollars. Originally operated as Steve ...
Las Vegas, Nevada


Former properties

* Boardwalk Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
, Nevada * Circus Circus Las Vegas **
Adventuredome Adventuredome (formerly Grand Slam Canyon) is a indoor amusement park at Circus Circus in Winchester, Nevada on the Las Vegas Strip. It is owned by Phil Ruffin. It is contained within a large glass dome, and offers various rides and attractions ...
**
Slots-A-Fun Casino Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Phil Ruffin. Circus Circus includes the largest permanent circus in the world. It features circus and trapeze ...
* Circus Circus, Reno, Nevada * Colorado Belle, Laughlin, Nevada * Desert Inn * Edgewater, Laughlin, Nevada * Gold Strike Hotel and Gambling Hall, Jean, Nevada *
Golden Nugget Las Vegas The Golden Nugget Las Vegas is a luxury hotel and casino located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada on the Fremont Street Experience. The property is owned and operated by Landry's, Inc. It has 2,419 hotel rooms. History The Golden Nugget was orig ...
*
Golden Nugget Laughlin The Golden Nugget Laughlin (formerly the Nevada Club) is a hotel and casino located on the banks of the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Landry's, Inc. It offers a number of restaurants, 300 guest rooms and suites, ...
* Grand Victoria Casino Elgin
Elgin, Illinois Elgin ( ) is a city in Cook and Kane counties in the northern part of the U.S. state of Illinois. Elgin is located northwest of Chicago, along the Fox River. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 114,797, the seventh-larg ...
(50% joint venture with Hyatt) * Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas * MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park * MGM Grand Air * MGM Grand DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory, Australia * MGM Grand at Foxwoods * MGM Grand Ho Tram StripXuyen Moc, Vietnam * The Mirage * Nevada Landing Hotel and CasinoJean, Nevada * Primm Valley Resorts * Railroad Pass,
Henderson Henderson may refer to: People * Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * ...
, Nevada * Sands Hotel and Casino * Silver Legacy, Reno, Nevada (50% owner in partnership with Eldorado Resorts) * The Shops at Crystals * Treasure Island Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
, Nevada * Las Vegas Festival Grounds * Las Vegas Village


MGM International Aviation

The MGM Resorts International Aviation fleet comprises five aircraft (as of March 2020):


Staff and management

The company's top executives include: James Murren, chairman and chief executive officer; Bill Hornbuckle, president of global casino marketing;
Brian Sandoval Brian Edward Sandoval (; born August 5, 1963) is an American politician, academic administrator, and former federal judge who served as the 29th Governor of Nevada from 2011 to 2019. A graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, Sandoval began ...
, president of global gambling development; Corey I. Sanders, chief operating officer; and John McManus, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary. As of 2015, according to the company, among the company's management ranks, more than 38 percent are minorities and nearly 43 percent are women. The company has received wide recognition for its diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as: 40 Best Companies for Diversity (Black Enterprise Magazine), Top 10 Companies for Latinos (DiversityInc Magazine), Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality (Human Rights Campaign Foundation), Top 10 Regional Companies(DiversityInc) and Top Corporation for Women's Business Enterprises (Women's Business Enterprise National Council). ''Fortune'' magazine named MGM Resorts one of the World's Most Admired Companies in 2017.


Controversy

MGM Resorts International received criticism for filing a lawsuit on July 18, 2018 against survivors and relatives of victims slain in the October 1,
2017 Las Vegas shooting On October 1, 2017, Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old man from Mesquite, Nevada, opened fire on the crowd attending the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip in . From his 32nd-floor suites in the Mandalay Bay hotel, he fired m ...
. MGM has claimed that, because it utilized the security services of Contemporary Services Corporation, a vendor certified by the
Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-ter ...
at the time of the October 1 shooting, any proceedings should be held in federal court where MGM is shielded from liability by the
Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act The Support Anti-Terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002, or SAFETY Act, was enacted as Subtitle G of Title VIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (). The Act creates an exclusive federal cause of action A cause of action ...
, also known as the Safety Act. MGM said they are insured for $751 million towards the settlement of the lawsuit which MGM believes will be settled in May 2020. Robert Englet, an attorney to some of the survivors, describes the countersuit as an attempt to get a more favorable judge. Brian Claypool, another attorney of the survivors', called the lawsuits a “public relations nightmare”. MGM's controversial action prompted a public outcry from survivors of the shooting, family members of the victims, lawmakers, and media members in New York State urging the New York State Gaming Commission to block MGM from completing its $850 million deal to purchase
Empire City Casino Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino, founded in 1899 as the Empire City Race Track, is a one-half-mile standardbred harness racing dirt track and slots racino located at the intersection of Central Park Avenue and Yonkers Avenue in Yonkers, New ...
and Yonkers Raceway in Yonkers, New York, which deal had been scheduled to close in January 2019. In October 2019, MGM agreed to pay victims and survivors up to $800 million.


Awards and recognition

The company continues to receive wide recognition for its diversity and inclusion initiatives, such as: 40 Best Companies for Diversity (''Black Enterprise Magazine'') in 2012, Best Places to Work for LGBT Equality (
Human Rights Campaign Foundation The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for LGB ...
) in 2013, " Human Rights Campaign". Retrieved 23 January 2014. Top 10 Regional Companies (''DiversityInc'') in 2014, Top 10 Companies for Latinos (''DiversityInc Magazine''), and top 100 Companies for MBA Students (Universum Global) in 2014. ''
Fortune Fortune may refer to: General * Fortuna or Fortune, the Roman goddess of luck * Luck * Wealth * Fortune, a prediction made in fortune-telling * Fortune, in a fortune cookie Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''The Fortune'' (1931 film) ...
'' has named MGM Resorts one of the World's Most Admired Companies.


References


External links

* {{authority control 1986 establishments in Nevada Companies based in Paradise, Nevada Gambling companies established in 2000 Hospitality companies established in 2000 Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange Gambling companies of the United States Hospitality companies of the United States Las Vegas Aces owners