Why MGM Resorts Is Placing a Huge Bet on Asia


Skift Take

The panic's over. Las Vegas' gigantic venues will soon be back selling things like concrete and computers at full capacity. Which is why MGM's CEO and president William Hornbuckle is looking further afield for the brand's next chapter.

Las Vegas is back in business, or at least will be by 2022 — but the CEO and president of one of the largest resort operators has other concerns, namely expansion in Asia. William Hornbuckle has said MGM Resorts’ pending licence renewal in Macau is “critical” to the business, while it waits for news from Japan concerning its bid to open a resort in Osaka. There are worse problems to have. Hornbuckle told Skift that the past year was not one he’d want to live through again, as Las Vegas didn’t just slow down, it stopped. It was also a year that saw the resort giant lay off 63,000 employees in 12 days. [caption id="attachment_432258" align="aligncenter" width="600"] William Hornbuckle, CEO and president, MGM Resorts International, speaking at Skift Hospitalit