Leading The Recovery - MGM Resorts International
Transcription
Leading The Recovery - MGM Resorts International
Forward together. I t’s no secret that nearly every sector of the United States economy has faced significant challenges over the past few years. The meetings and conventions industry has been no exception. Yet I wanted to share with you how MGM Resorts InternationalTM has risen to those challenges – and is now moving beyond them. During a shifting economic landscape, we saw opportunity in uncertainty. By leveraging the power of the full portfolio of our world-famous properties – 16 of the most renowned destinations in the world – we’re not only part of the recovery, we’re also leading it. Throughout the recession, our meetings and conventions professionals have made new inroads with exciting new business ideas, and we’ve forged important new relationships in the process. We’ve diversified our client base. Expanded our notoriety within important industry circles. And created mutually productive new partnerships. At the heart of this resilience and progress is our most important asset: our people. Together, they’re part of a corporate-wide culture that is focused on the customer, focused on solutions, and focused on the future. From sales leadership to banquet chefs to group sales to catering sales and convention services managers, these seasoned, dedicated professionals have rolled up their sleeves for the good of our clients and the future of our company. Together, we’ve paired hard work with high standards – and the results take shape as exceeded expectations, time and again. I am proud to be a part of such a high-caliber team. These are individuals who approach our company the same way they would a cause: with passion, zeal, and unflagging enthusiasm. It’s a unique dynamic – one that has meant the continual re-invention of our resorts. That means adding new amenities and new attractions. And never wavering from the commitment to providing our guests with the kind of experiences that can be found no place else. We dedicate ourselves to honoring this commitment with every customer, with every event. As an industry, our challenges are not over. But as the mountains we climb give way to hills, and as those hills yield to plains, we can look back on where we’ve come from knowing that together we can scale any heights. And should we find ourselves confronted with difficult terrain again in the future, we’ll do exactly what we did before: move forward, boldly. Clients and team members, we look forward to moving forward with you. Sincerely, Richard Harper Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing MGM Resorts International A NEW ERA Sales leadership comes together to help build a brighter future T he sun is shining, the casinos are buzzing, the hotel lobbies are teeming with incoming guests. It’s official: Vegas is back in business. As meeting groups start to hit the road again after three years of an economic downturn, Las Vegas is helping to lead the recovery. A big part of that story involves the twelve people pictured here, the sales leadership of MGM Resorts International. They, along with their teams of hotel and catering salespeople, convention service managers, banquet chefs and hotel operations staff, pulled together through the dark times to guarantee the survival of their properties and their city. Now, they’re ready to start thriving again. And there has never been a better time. MGM Resorts has grown dramatically over the past decade, first merging with Mirage Resorts in 2000, then acquiring Mandalay Resort Group in 2005. Even the most frequent Las Vegas visitor may not realize that so many of the most recognizable properties on The Strip are all part of the same family. “The company has always believed in promoting the individual brands that are independently iconic in the industry.” “We’ve heard from many customers that they didn’t realize the scope of our company and the benefits that come with booking one or more of our properties,” says Richard Harper, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for MGM Resorts. Some of the most visible benefits for meeting planners include a single contract to cover multiple properties, along with a single credit application. If a planner is at Mandalay Bay one year and at Bellagio the next, the Mandalay Bay team will consult with Bellagio to share their knowledge about the group, freeing up the planner’s time considerably. Planners also receive priority preference for venues, services or entertainment events at any MGM sister properties. And soon, MGM Resorts plans to expand its M life loyalty program to include meeting planners. “Often, people think that Las Vegas sells itself,” says Fletch Brunelle, Senior Vice President, Hotel Sales & Marketing for Bellagio. “We know that’s not true. We have to work hard every day to stay aware of what our clients want and to keep our relationships with them strong. One thing we’ve learned at MGM in the last few years is that when all of us work together, all of that becomes a lot easier.” GETTING THE MESSAGE MGM Resorts sales leadership, L-R, Bryan Gay, Fletch Brunelle, Brian Keenan, Stephanie Windham, Dan Rush, Gail Fitzgerald, Mike Pistana, Tara Russell, Richard Harper, Jay Simpson, Chris Bond, Tim Barnett POWER PLAYERS MGM Resorts’ sales team and CSMs take care of your business W ith 58 Certified Meeting Professionals throughout the MGM Resorts organization, it’s clear that the properties’ sales force (left) and Conventions Services Managers (below) know their business. Their knowledge and experience has been a critical element in the company’s rapid growth over the past decade. “I think we’ve got the best in the business,” says Steve Ouimet, CMP, Director of Convention Services for ARIA. “Last year we maintained an average in convention sales and services of 98 percent guest satisfaction.” These results are particularly gratifying, he says, because so much of their group business in the past year has been booked short term. “You still need to provide exceptional service but don’t have the luxury of time to make sure you’re covering all of your bases. It makes for long days and long hours. But everyone remained positive. How could you not?” One key to their success is the communication between sales, convention services and catering not only within each property, but between them. “We have an extremely close relationship with all of the different hotels in our portfolio,” says Brian Keenan, CMP, Vice President, Hotel Sales at MGM Grand. “We’re communicating on a daily basis, and it’s done on very much a team level.” The other important factor is the familiarity customers have with staff throughout the company. “I’ve had planners I worked with ten years ago at The Mirage, and when they come for a site inspection at ARIA, they see banquet staff they’ve worked with before,” says Ouimet. “It tells them that MGM is a fantastic company to work for and to do business with.” TASTE MAKERS Catering sales managers and banquet chefs bring out their best E very meeting planner and, more important, every meeting-goer knows one thing: no matter the size of the event, no matter its business purpose, no matter its budget, the crucial element that makes it or breaks it is the catering. That’s why MGM Resorts considers its catering sales staff (above) and group of banquet chefs (right) to be as important as any other part of its team. “There’s a true mutual respect for each other,” says Martie Sparks, Vice President of Banquets, Catering & Convention Services at Mandalay Bay. “Your role may be different in terms of responsibilities but there’s an understanding that your role, not your title, is equally as important as anyone else’s. That’s the philosophy we send throughout the entire company.” That philosophy starts in MGM Resorts’ offices and kitchens, but truly manifests itself in what meeting attendees find before them when they sit down to enjoy a meal. “We really focus on providing a world-class restaurant quality product in a banquet setting,” says Sean Dicicco, Executive Chef at Mandalay Bay. “It’s an everevolving situation. We never do the same thing twice for the same group, and they recognize that. It’s what we love to do.” REGIONAL STRENGTH Your closest allies in creating brilliant events Jacqueline Goldy Vice President of Incentive Sales Based in Chicago, Jacque is a onestop shop for the Incentive planning community. Amy Huff Director of Regional Sales Based in Richmond, Va., Amy is a one-stop shop for the Southeast planning community. Dzidra Junior Director of Regional Sales-Diversity Based in Las Vegas, Dzidra is a one-stop shop for the Diversity planning community. Michael Shannon Director of Regional Sales Based in New Jersey, Michael is a one-stop shop for the Northeast planning community Gary Murakami Director of Regional Sales Based in San Francisco, Gary is a one-stop shop for the West Coast planning community. 8 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n ARIA arialasvegas.com Sleek, contemporary and thoroughly adult, ARIA has dramatically altered not only the Las Vegas skyline, but also the city’s meetings landscape since its opening in December 2009. An integral part of the CityCenter hotel, residential, retail and entertainment complex, ARIA is the jewel in MGM Resorts’ luxury crown and the most compelling meetings destination to open in Las Vegas this century. W ith its graceful design and extraordinary collection of modern art, the striking ARIA tower houses 4,004 guest rooms with cutting-edge technology and panoramic views. ARIA’s 300,000-square-foot convention and meeting facility, bathed in natural light and among the most environmentally sustainable meetings facilities in the world, is an extraordinary venue. And there’s a reason for that. ARIA attracted some of MGM Resorts’ most dynamic and longestserving talent to its pre-opening staff, including Stephanie Windham, CMP, Vice President of Sales, who was one of the first people brought on board the CityCenter project. “My first responsibility was getting out there to the customers so people would be aware that it was coming,” she says. Windham’s first three years at ARIA were spent selling a property that didn’t yet exist, relying on renderings and videos to try and bring the resort to life for their top prospects. “We took the best managers from our other hotels and brought them over here to help create the sales materials.” Recognizing the rapid pace of technological change in the modern world, particularly when it comes to the tools necessary for meetings, the goal of the ARIA team was to create a convention facility that wouldn’t age quickly. “We wanted to put things in that people would appreciate for several years to come,” says Windham. At the same time, they were determined to create an environment for meetings that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but also invigorating, which was accomplished with a dramatic glass curtain wall and rooftop gardens. Another, equally important element of their mission was to create a facility that was environmentally sound and sustainable. As part of CityCenter, ARIA is proud to help set a new standard for environmentally responsible growth in Las Vegas. MGM Resorts International earned six distinct Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certifications for CityCenter from the U.S. Green year when they beat out a competitor and signed a client to a multiBuilding Council. All woods come from responsibly managed forests; year deal to bring 2,500 people to ARIA during a historic slow time water use, both inside the building and outdoors, is highly efficient; of the year. “The holidays are typically a slow convention period in and ARIA features an improvement of more than 30 percent in energy the city when banquet servers and other support staff are usually efficiency over standard building codes. ARIA has also received the shifted to part time work,” says Windham. ARIA’s employees won’t highest level of recognition, “5 Green Keys,” from the Green Key have to worry about that for a while. “It’s a great feeling to have this Eco-Rating Program, the largest international program evaluating business in December and it a huge coup for us.” sustainable hotel operations. Because of the myriad venues throughout ARIA, groups find themselves with a dizzying choice of places for events large and small, including the Haze Nightclub, the Stephanie Windham Graceland-inspired Gold Boutique Nightclub and Lounge, Vice President of Sales, ARIA and Vdara and the high-roller Deuce Lounge. Private dining rooms 866.718.2489 | [email protected] and buyouts are also available at ARIA’s 16 restaurants, which include Jean Georges Steakhouse, Sirio Ristorante, AMERICAN FISH by Michael Mina, Julian Serrano Spanish “The MGM Resorts’ philosophy is Fine Dining and Sage by Shawn McClain. understanding the customer needs ARIA has recently begun offering Crystals as a venue for private parties, dine-arounds or shopping experiences for and wants and between all of us, groups. In March, Crystals will host a catered function for having something for those needs.” 1,000 with plans to do larger groups in the future. The pre-opening team assigned to ARIA were rewarded tephanie Windham never imagined as a young woman that she would for their effort soon after the property’s opening, as one of their first events hosted the toughest critics imaginable: make her career in Las Vegas. Originally a ballet dancer from Boston who the meetings and travel professionals of HelmsBriscoe, recalls performing in up to 56 performances of the Nutcracker every whose partner conference was in house. “They said it was year, Windham thought to add to her marketability with a business degree from flawless,” says Windham. “It was truly remarkable to be Southern Methodist University in Dallas while continuing to dance. But a trip to able to pull that off in our first 30 days.” And their success Vegas changed her destiny. “I thought I would stay a short time and go to graduate only multiplied from there. ARIA hosted 568 groups in its school, and then I started working in leisure sales at The Mirage in 1998.” And first year, and the response was phenomenal. “I couldn’t she never left. Today Windham is proud of her long tenure with what is now be more proud of the feedback from our customers,” says MGM Resorts International. The greatest benefit of that, she says, is the longWindham. “I have pages of testimonials with nearly perfect term relationships she has maintained with her clients. “I have customers I started post-con review scores. Many of them say it was their working with 13 years ago at The Mirage and still have today. We want them to company’s best meeting. And now there’s a lot of repeat think of our properties as people, not just a hotel or a company.” business wanting to come back in 2011 and beyond.” S One of ARIA’s most meaningful successes came last 10 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n VDARA vdara.com Vdara is the close sister to ARIA, bringing an exclusive, non-gaming, smoke-free, sustainable alternative to the CityCenter hotel, residential, retail and entertainment complex. Perfect for intimate conferences that want to keep the focus on business, the 57-story tower boasts 1,495 architecturally intriguing suites, with open floor plans and horizontally oriented windows that offer expansive views of the city and mountains. P erhaps even more importantly, Vdara has also received a “5 Green Keys” rating, the highest honor possible from the Green Key EcoRating Program. Like ARIA, Vdara has received the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold Certification. “Vdara has it’s own particular niche, particularly with pharmaceutical, financial and insurance groups because of the nongaming aspect,” says Stephanie Windham, CMP, Vice President of Sales for both ARIA and Vdara, which in June 2010 consolidated their sales teams to enhance synergy between the two properties. “A 100-person group that would typically be one of many in a larger hotel can be the big fish at Vdara.” Because Vdara is next door to ARIA and directly connected to Bellagio, it also provides housing for overflow from both properties, as well as a slightly less expensive – but still luxurious – alternative to either. And for those guests at Vdara who want to mix a little pleasure with their business, the casinos and entertainment of ARIA and Bellagio are mere steps away. Vdara, appropriately enough, has its own intelligently designed and ultra-functional conference facilities. The Viñoly Grand Ballroom employs natural materials such as warm wood, sandstone and pebbles in a contemporary design located just inside the main hotel entrance. Nearby is a sleek, 442-square-foot executive boardroom. Overall, Vdara features 10,000 square feet of meeting space. As with ARIA, the property’s preopening sales team was closely involved with the design from the very beginning, ensuring that every detail was chosen and planned to serve the needs of its guests – particularly meeting groups – perfectly. Tara Russell, now Vice President of Convention Sales at Bellagio, was recruited to be part of the CityCenter team from the project’s inception. Assigned to Vdara, Russell worked closely with the architects and designers to ensure that Vdara’s mix of luxury and cutting-edge design was always focused on maximizing the customer experience. “I selected mattresses and banquet linens, reviewed menus and signage, worked on egress, and even helped number the rooms,” she says. One of the most popular venues at Vdara for unique private events is the Vdara Pool & Lounge. Perched above the porte cochère, Vdara Pool & Lounge serves up striking views of CityCenter and the Las Vegas Strip as the backdrop to exclusive group functions, and with nearly 30,000 square feet of space, can easily accommodate groups large and small. For smaller, more personal gatherings planners can book the pool deck’s private cabanas, which offer spectacular views in an intimate setting. For dining and relaxing on property, Vdara is home to Market Café Vdara, which features a gourmet coffee bar, pastries, paninis, and a menu of freshly prepared breakfast and lunch items. This is the casual and cozy eatery for meeting-goers to drop by for a quick bite, sweet treats, gourmet groceries, and healthy options. On the other end of the spectrum is the refined and energetic vibe of Bar Vdara, a luxurious yet playful space offering guests unique experiences as its mood changes throughout the day. Whimsical touches like outdoor swings, light-enhancing sculptural screens and a curved reflecting pool enhance the nature of the space. Adding to the sense of calm that Vdara provides along the Las Vegas Strip is the Spa, which furthers the hotel’s theme of natural, organic integration. Offering a thoughtfully orchestrated collection of massages, body treatments and skincare services, body treatments focus on holistic health and utilize highgrade, natural ingredients derived from herbs, flowers, fruits, vegetables, and oils. 866.760.2489 | [email protected] 12 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n BELLAGIO bellagio.com Since its opening in 1998, Bellagio has set the standard for grandeur, luxury and service in Las Vegas. The magnificent Fountains of Bellagio at the resort’s entrance, considered one of the world’s most ambitiously complex water features, is now one of The Strip’s most recognizable and beloved landmarks. T he building itself ushered in a new era of tasteful elegance in Las Vegas, with the floral displays of the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, where every season is re-created with gorgeous plants, flowers and trees. Yet for all that Bellagio contains – the stunning architecture, the courtyards and pools, the world’s largest chocolate fountain at Jean-Philippe Patisserie , the top-flight restaurants and world-class art – what sets Bellagio apart is its people. “Bellagio is a special place because of the people who bring this resort to life,” says Fletch Brunelle, Senior Vice President, Hotel Sales and Marketing. “Everyone from the valet, doormen, bellmen, front desk agents, operations, all of those individuals are what Bellagio is about. We can build pretty buildings, but you really have to animate them with talented, enthusiastic people.” One of those bringing Bellagio to life is Brunelle’s colleague Tara Russell, Vice President, Convention Sales. An eightyear veteran of Marriott in California and Hawaii, she made her way to Las Vegas and The Mirage in 1998, and has been with Bellagio since June. “This is the best place I’ve ever worked,” she says. Special kudos, she says, must go to Randy Morton, the resort’s president and chief operating officer. “He is the best in the business because he is involved. He meets our customers in the front drive, he shakes everybody’s hand, he is very involved with the team culture. I’ve never worked for anybody like this and I’ve been doing this for 22 years.” The result of this focus on staff, Russell says, is that Bellagio never feels huge, cold or impersonal. “Bellagio is opulent, but it is warm and inviting, and that’s why guests come back time after time.” It may seem a contradiction to call a AAA Five Diamond Award-winning resort like Bellagio, which is home to more than 3,900 guest rooms and suites “intimate,” but in truth, that’s exactly what Bellagio is. With such an enormous staff – more than 8,200 employees, including 900 chefs – and a wealth of beautiful spaces and venues, it’s possible to make groups Fletch Brunelle Senior Vice President, Hotel Sales & Marketing 702.693.7388 [email protected] “We want to be the company of choice for individuals to hold successful programs. We’re very customer-centric.” F of any size feel at home. Consider, for example, that among the many indoor and outdoor meeting and event facilities at Bellagio, which include four ballrooms and 200,000 square feet of space, perhaps the most popular is the Tuscany Kitchen. Designed expressly for meeting and convention groups, the first exhibition kitchen of its kind in Las Vegas showcases Bellagio’s culinary arts with top-of-the-line Viking Range equipment and state-of-the-art audiovisual technology. Here, groups can witness Bellagio’s distinguished culinary artisans, awardwinning chefs and master sommeliers at work to prepare a oneof-a-kind dining experience exclusively for their group. Bellagio is especially proud to be home to three master sommeliers, a remarkable number considering that is the same number of master sommeliers in New York City; Los Angeles, as a point of comparison, has none, according to Brunelle. Similarly, Bellagio also has two AAA Five Diamond Awardwinning restaurants in Picasso and Le Cirque, a distinction no other resort can boast. Among the extraordinary meeting and event spaces at Bellagio are the 3,000-square-foot Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, which can accommodate 250 in its gallery, atrium and reception area; the 8,200-square-foot Richard MacDonald Fine Art Gallery, home to highly collected figurative sculpture, and able to accommodate 300; and the exquisitely-appointed The Bank nightclub, which can host events for up to 1,000. The many restaurants, including Michael Mina, Le Cirque, Picasso, Sensi® and Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge, either offer private dining rooms or are available for group buyouts. Despite these world-class facilities and services, perhaps the most surprising aspect of Bellagio’s appeal to meeting groups is its value, which is one important reason why the resort has continued to succeed even through the economic difficulties of the past few years and anticipates thriving in the next several years as the recovery gathers steam. “We will continue to show we are a great value,” says Brunelle. letch Brunelle has been in hospitality his entire life, working as a busboy, in kitchens, in banquet setup – even as a bouncer for the Sha Na Na show at the Sands. An accounting major at UNLV, his professional career started in finance at the Dunes, followed by a four-and-a-half year stint at the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority as research director. Fletch joined MGM Resorts in finance at the Golden Nugget while attending UNLV once again and received his MBA knowing all along where the action was. “I could tell that the most fun was in sales and marketing.” When Beau Rivage was being developed in Biloxi, Miss., Brunelle found himself helping to get air service to nearby Gulfport. After the successful launch of this program, he was tabbed to develop a corporate leisure sales department for the newly merged MGM MIRAGE. Now, in his fifth year at Bellagio, he is excited to help the younger generation at MGM Resorts see how far they can grow within the company. “When you look at the longevity of the individuals here you find the focus is on growth internally,” he says. “Watching the development of staff and being able to help them toward their goals is the most satisfying part of what I do.” Tara Russell Vice President of Convention Sales 702.693.8288 [email protected] “It’s an amazing experience to go from my car every day to my office in Bellagio. Some days I hear six different languages spoken during that walk.” H ‘‘ ospitality is in my blood,” says Tara Russell. “I knew that I wanted to be in the business. I traveled with my family when I was younger, and I thought it was a glamorous way of life. I wanted to be either in the hotel industry or be a flight attendant. I was too short to be a flight attendant!” A Connecticut native, Russell studied hotel management at Schiller International University in Engelberg, Switzerland. For her honeymoon, she took her husband on a mission to Bali to meet the medicine man from “Eat Pray Love.” “I had read and loved the book and I wanted to meet him,” she says. “So we traveled 18,000 miles to the jungle. When I put my mind to something, I’m pretty determined.” A key part of the pre-opening team for ARIA and Vdara, Russell was very pregnant with her baby boy when the two properties celebrated their grand openings. “I swaddled around and went to two major grand openings. Then I had my baby six days later!” 14 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n MGM GRAND mgmgrand.com When MGM Grand opened in 1993 it totally redefined what a resort could be. The largest hotel in the world at the time, nothing like it had ever been seen in Las Vegas or, for that matter, anywhere. Much has changed on the Strip in the nearly two decades since MGM Grand’s topping off ceremony, and the property has more than kept pace, thoroughly refurbishing and redefining itself as the heart of Las Vegas lifestyle. W ith more than 5,000 guest rooms and 602,000 square feet of meeting space, it is one of the premier business destinations in town; with its many high-end restaurants, entertainment and Grand Spa, it offers some of the area’s most compelling dining and recreation options; and with the opening of the three all-suite towers of The Signature at MGM Grand, guests may now enjoy all the amenities of the resort along with unparalleled luxury and personal service, all within a nongaming and non-smoking environment. “We’re five properties in one when you look at all the different aspects of what we have,” says Brian Keenan, CMP, vice president, hotel sales. No one would know better than he, having started at MGM Grand as one of the property’s first interns upon opening, and working his way up through convention services and into sales. In fact, Keenan built MGM Grand’s convention services department to service the property’s conference center at the time of its construction, and was a recipient of PCMA’s Distinguished Convention Services Manager of the year Award in 2004. “We have something for everyone here. We can be luxury, yet we also represent a good choice from an economic perspective,” he adds. Despite the size of MGM Grand’s meeting facilities, “we’re not just a big group house,” says Keenan. “We handle groups of 10 to 4,000, and in fact, the majority of our groups are on the smaller side. That said, our sweet spot is in the 2,300-to 3,000 room range.” The property’s 602,000 square feet of flexible meeting space can easily adapt for events of all sizes and types, and includes the 380,000-square-foot Grand Conference Center, as well as its newest addition, the 92,000-square-foot Marquee Ballroom. Even more important than the sheer size and number of the resort’s facilities is the experience and dedication of its staff, which includes 13 Certified partnered with Mandalay Bay, and it was a great model of Meeting Professionals — among the most of any resort. These showing how we can use multiple properties for large groups,” managers specialize in groups of particular sizes, with Executive says Keenan. “We can even do one contract for multiple Meetings managers handling groups of 15 to 300 while their properties to save planners the trouble.” National managers work with groups requiring room blocks of 301 to 4,000-plus rooms. Also in-house is MGM Grand Productions, a full-service production company that combines Brian Keenan years of experience with the most current and CMP, Vice President, Hotel Sales innovative technical and visionary concepts to deliver 800.929.1112 | [email protected] extraordinary group events. MGM Grand Productions’ technicians know how to optimize the physical “The people side of the job is what properties of the space at MGM Grand to produce the best results for events and meetings. excites me. The most exciting part So much knowledge and experience is put to is the relationships I’ve built over use every day at MGM Grand — as is the staff’s eagerness to do whatever is necessary to service the years with our customers.” their group clients. One of the largest events the Pittsburgh Steeler fan for life, Brian Keenan was naturally disappointed when property ever hosted was a sit-down dinner for the his team lost Super Bowl XLV in February, especially when he was forced 16,500-person sales force of Arbonne, a cosmetics to endure the crowing of his colleague (and Packers fan) Fletch Brunelle company. “It was almost a military operation,” of Bellagio. But with so much activity going on every day in Las Vegas, it was easy says Keenan. “There was no room for error. We for Keenan to put the big game behind and get caught up once more in the big pulled everybody in from the management team to show that is life at MGM Grand. Keenan grew up in Switzerland and Hong Kong help, whether to plate up the food or to help with before moving to the somewhat less exotic environs of Illinois. All along, he worked the service operation.” Keenan took up a position in restaurants, where he fell in love with the business of hospitality. “Going into putting polenta on plates, a task he found far more hotels was just the right move,” he says. He attended Eastern Illinois University, challenging than he had anticipated. “You really where a visit to a job fair lured him to his internship at the brand-new MGM Grand. had to be precise with the amount of polenta you Keenan never looked back. He started in general reservations and then moved to scooped, because for that many people, if you give group reservations, where he quickly learned the rewards of working with meeting everyone a little too much, you’ll run out with a planners. “You were able to work with a customer for the entire planning phase thousand people left to be served.” of the convention, so by the time they arrived at the hotel they would walk in and Another large meeting, a general session for because I had been working with them for eight months, we had created a bond. 17,000 in the Grand Garden Arena for a technology That’s a great feeling.” company, was an example of how well MGM Resorts properties can work together. “We A 16 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n M A N D A L AY B AY mandalaybay.com The moment the Mandalay Bay Convention Center was expanded to 1.7 million square feet in 2003, notice was served to the rest of the Strip: meetings are now the biggest business in town. At the time the fifth largest convention facility in the United States, today Mandalay Bay remains a resort with some staggering statistics: More than 3,200 guest rooms; 24 restaurants and lounges; and the 11-acre Mandalay Beach. A lso part of the resort is THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, with 1,120 suites, each at least 750 square feet. Yet for all this, what defines Mandalay Bay is its relaxed atmosphere. “It’s probably the only high-end property that everybody can feel comfortable in,” says Bryan Gay, vice president of sales. “You can walk into certain hotels that are 4- or 5-diamond and you feel that there are restaurants or attractions that you can’t afford, but here there is such a selection and a variety that there is something for everyone, in a setting so laid back everyone feels at home.” The ability to cater to a wide range of guests is reflected in Mandalay Bay’s popularity with diverse groups in a wide range of sizes. “We can handle groups from ten to 30,000 but a unique fact is that 70 percent are 200 rooms or less,” says Gay. “We handle every type of meeting that you can imagine.” What all these groups find upon arrival at Mandalay Bay is an extraordinary array and variety of meeting facilities. The convention center features nearly one million square feet of flexible exhibit space on two levels; three levels of elegantly decorated, multi-purpose meeting and function space; four pillarless, high-ceiling ballrooms ranging from 31,000 to 100,000 square feet, including the largest pillarless hotel ballroom in the nation; a 100,000 square-foot “mega-ballroom,” and breakout space to accommodate more than 75 simultaneous meetings. Overseeing all the meetings action at Mandalay Bay is Martie Sparks, Vice President of banquets, catering & convention services. “It’s a pretty fast pace here,” she says. “It’s like eating an elephant properties to accommodate groups with special needs. “We have one bite at a time. You just have to make sure what the planners some big programs that have a show here at the convention center want to do works well in our building, and the key is partnering so but also use rooms at Luxor, Excalibur, MGM Grand and other that the experiences are exactly what their expectations are. We sister properties, and they do events at those hotels as well,” says have a great team and a very seasoned group of managers that Gay. “If there’s a group at MGM and they want to come here and have worked this building for a number of years and have seen buy out the beach for an event, we can do that as well.” everything from small incentives to major corporate groups to large tradeshows.” Servicing groups are two teams of convention managers, with the Executive Meetings team specializing in groups of 10-250, and the convention Bryan Gay team working with groups that require 251-plus rooms Vice President of Sales along with any association program requiring 150,000 877.632.7900 | [email protected] net square feet or more in exhibit space needs. As is common among the staff throughout MGM Resorts, many of these staff members are certified meeting “It’s amazing what certain professionals (CMP). This wealth of knowledge and groups can do here and what experience enables groups to accomplish anything we’ve accomplished in they can imagine at the property. “We do meetings back to back to back all the time, making that happen.” and the biggest thing that stands out is how well we all pull together when there’s a tight run for a meeting ife is too short to waste on a cheap bottle of wine!” is Bryan Gay’s motto. A room to be transformed into a banquet room, or vice native of the Northeast, Gay has come a long way from the gray skies and cold versa,” says Gay. “The VPs, managers, line employees winters of the small town near Scranton, Pa. where he spent his childhood. Gay all work together to make it happen.” attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he helped to support The number of entertainment and recreation himself with a job at the spa in The Mirage when that property opened in 1989. Gay options at Mandalay Bay are too long to list, but graduated with a marketing degree, and admits he had no intention of continuing one feature that stands out for groups are the 24 in the hotel industry. But recruitment efforts by The Mirage management associate restaurants and cafés at the resort. The brightest stars program proved to be too persuasive for him to resist, and after an intensive sixin the culinary world have kitchens here, including month training period in all phases of the hotel’s operation, was transferred to Michael Mina, Alain Ducasse, Rick Moonen, Charlie the opening sales team at Treasure Island. Later, he helped open the Mandalay Palmer, Hubert Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Mary Sue Bay Convention Center and THEhotel. Having experienced so much Vegas history Milliken and Susan Feniger. Special group dining during his tenure here, he knows how important hospitality is to everyone in the options are available at the restaurants. city. “Our philosophy is that this is our future and we take pride in being the best.“ Yet with all Mandalay Bay has to offer groups, it still often finds itself happily partnering with its sister ‘‘L 18 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n MIRAGE mirage.com This is where the second generation of Las Vegas began, and the turning point in the fortunes of Las Vegas from a gambling town in decline to the glittering entertainment and convention capital of the world. Opened in 1989 as the costliest casino hotel in history, The Mirage transformed what Las Vegas was, what it could offer and where it was going. F rom the nightly eruption of The Mirage volcano, to the drama and glitz of the Siegfried & Roy show, to the early Cirque de Soleil production “Nouvelle Experience,” The Mirage essentially invented the concepts, luxuries and attractions of the modern Las Vegas resort. And it continues to do so today. Over the past three years The Mirage has invested $300 million in 3,033 brand new guest rooms and suites, along with bold new nightclubs and restaurants. All this work, along with the return home of Cirque du Soleil with their show The Beatles LOVE, make this feel like a brand-new property, one with a new sense of purpose in the Las Vegas of the 21st century. “The Mirage was the original “megaresort”, but our footprint is now boutique compared to the newer Las Vegas Strip hotels,” says Daniel Rush, CMP, vice president of sales. “It’s reinvented itself, but it’s still a classic.” One of the venues that makes The Mirage stand out is Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, home to white lions, white tigers, panthers, leopards and a family of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins. Groups can hold unique receptions there for up to 1,800 that cannot be replicated anywhere in Las Vegas or, for that matter, in the world. Even more special are small, high-end receptions in one of the underwater private viewing areas. Meeting facilities at The Mirage encompass 170,000 square feet, and include the 90,000-square-foot Mirage Events Center which can be divided into numerous configurations, a 50,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom, and 26 meeting rooms. “The average size group we do is about 550, but we can handle anything up to 2,000,” says Rush. “The ideal group is about 1,300, which can use all of the function space and 40 percent of our rooms and can brand it all as their own.” Among the more enticing recent developments throughout the resort is The Beatles REVOLUTION lounge, created by Cirque du says. “We all started as sales managers and now we’re all at the VP Soleil. Revolutionary in design and atmosphere, this ultralevel. And knowing everybody and being able to refer things back lounge features cutting edge, interactive experiences to create and forth works very well, and makes us much better at serving a psychedelic sensory environment and a contemporary our customers.” interpretation of The Beatles era. Another special venue is the Japonais lounge, a vibrant 3,000-square-foot modern tropical haven that overlooks The Mirage casino floor and is home Daniel Rush to cascading palm trees, water elements and a CMP, Vice President of Sales 110-foot-long glowing “fire” wall made out of glass. 702.791.7392 | [email protected] Groups of up to 150 can enjoy seated dinners, while Japonais accommodates cocktail receptions for up to 200. Among the new restaurants making their “The culture at MGM is unbelievable. home at The Mirage are BLT Burger, acclaimed chef The approach that we have Laurent Tourondel’s interpretation of the American burger joint. makes the job fun and it’s just a Other fine dining venues at The Mirage include great environment to be a part of.” STACK, a new American Bistro menu in a cuttingedge environment that feels at once intimate and lthough Daniel Rush has worked with many of his peers at MGM Resorts for a expansive; Fin, serving contemporary Chinese dishes long time, he’s a little bit different. For him, the hospitality industry was never tempered with an eclectic blend of international a long-standing dream. Rush was born in Chicago but grew up in Los Angeles, cuisines; Kokomo’s, which simulates a tropical and found himself playing a little too hard and working a little too little while studying rainforest, surrounded by waterfalls and a sparkling communications at Cal State Northridge; he quickly realized that something would interior lagoon, and Onda, voted “Best Italian have to change. He transferred to UNLV and thought to give the hotel management Restaurant” by the Las Vegas Concierge Association program a try. “I ended up loving it,” he says. “I thought I’d get the degree and go and offering classic-rustic Italian cuisine with back to LA. But I got lucky when I graduated and got a job in Vegas.” After stints American innovations. at The Riviera and Excalibur, he spent eight years at MGM Grand and nearly five Like many of the top sales executives throughout years at Mandalay Bay before moving over to The Mirage. Rush is proud to count MGM Resorts, Daniel Rush has been with the himself among singer Jimmy Buffet’s legion of Parrothead fans, root for all three of his company for the bulk of his career, and he says that hometown teams (the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Lakers) as well his longstanding relationships with peers like Brian as the UNLV Rebels, and have a great wife and two young kids (6-year old Rena and Keenan, Richard Harper, Stephanie Windham and 4-year old Benny). His permanent address will remain at MGM Resorts. “I’ve been Bryan Gay is one of the factors that make MGM recruited by other companies, but the culture here is hard to walk away from,” he says. Resorts a special place to work and a great place to A do business. “We’ve all kind of grown up together,” he 20 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n MONTE C ARLO montecarlo.com Monte Carlo has always been at the center of all the action on The Strip, but now, as the gateway to the new CityCenter hotel, residential, retail and entertainment complex, the AAA Four Diamond-Award winning Monte Carlo is more than ever before the true essence of affordable luxury in Las Vegas. W ith an interior walkway to ARIA, and its proximity to the high-end Crystals retail center, groups can enjoy all the world-class entertainment, dining and shopping on Monte Carlo’s premises and in CityCenter for a very value-conscious price. It’s also one of the easiest Las Vegas properties in which to feel at home. “It’s our whole brand message here that we’re unpretentiously luxurious,” says Mike Pistana, vice president of sales and marketing. “We have a very intimate-feeling property. The footprint is small, and it has a completely different floor plan that’s easy to get around. We’re more of a resort that has a casino than a casino resort.” For meeting groups, the navigability of Monte Carlo is especially welcome. Guest room elevators, meeting space and the spa can be accessed without having to pass through the casino. And the property’s 27,000 square feet of flexible meeting space encompasses a selection of conference rooms, all with various dimensions, capacities and floor plans, so small to medium-sized groups will find they fit perfectly. “The ideal group for us is a 250400 room program, and you own the place at that size,” says Pistana. “We specialize in small corporate meetings. We get a lot of repeat business and we pride ourselves on that, because we make the small groups feel big and feel important.” Pistana is especially proud of the many alternative venues for group functions at his resort. The 1,200-seat Monte Carlo Theater, home of Jabbawockees, can be used for general sessions and presentations. The covered, 3,000-square-foot terrace in front of Monte Carlo facing Las Vegas Boulevard hosts receptions with views of all the action on The Strip, as does the veranda deck at Diablo’s Cantina, Monte Carlo’s hot Mexican restaurant/nightclub fusion. The pool and sand beach volleyball court are also popular for group luaus and beach parties. And one hidden gem that Pistana relishes is the Cigar and Cognac Lounge upstairs at the newly renovated, Michelin-starred Andre’s Restaurant, boasting one of the widest selections of cognacs, armagnacs and afterdinner drinks in North America. The lounge can accommodate 50 for tastings and a rare opportunity to enjoy a smoke inside a restaurant in Las Vegas. And that are employees who make it their life’s work to ensure great upstairs at The Pub, where there are 200 beers on tap and all the experiences for MGM’s customers. “If you’re treated well then you sports you can dream of watching, a private dining room seats 150 want to stay,” he says. “As we keep growing I think people see their and adjoins the second floor meeting rooms. career paths. And we have the best assets in town. It’s tough to As part of Monte Carlo’s extensive makeover in the past work at Bellagio or ARIA and go somewhere else.” few years, new and renovated restaurants are the norm at the property. At Dragon Noodle Co. & Sushi bar, traditional Chinese food, sushi and a touch of contemporary Japanese culture combine Mike Pistana for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Dragon Vice President of Sales and Marketing Noodle Co. transports you into another world, 800.311.5999 | [email protected] one replete with floating baby heads, dancing bok choy, leaping koi fish and other quirky interior “You’re going to see that the touches. d.Vino Italian Food & Wine Bar is casual yet sophisticated, where executive chef Jose M. ones reinvesting in Las Vegas Navarro turns seasonal, traditional ingredients — like our group does are going meat, fish, vegetables, pasta, bread and olive oil — into culinary masterpieces. Meat-lovers flock to to rise to the top.” BRAND Steakhouse, one of the best in Las Vegas, rowing up in Daytona Beach when it was the spring break capital of the set in a stunning, 5,000- square-foot space in the world, Mike Pistana had no trouble adapting to Las Vegas after majoring in heart of the Monte Carlo’s casino floor, with a warm, hotel management — and playing college basketball — at the University of contemporary décor and an open design which North Texas in Dallas. “I did an internship at the Golden Nugget, spent a summer combines fine dining with elegant nightlife. All are working in Vegas in my junior year, and decided this is the town,” he says. From the available for private meal functions. Golden Nugget he covered a lot of ground, moving to The Mirage and working in Another recent addition to Monte Carlo is operations at the front desk and then as a hotel manager before moving into sales, HOTEL32, a special top floor “hotel within a hotel” eventually joining the pre-opening sales team at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss. similar to SKYLOFT at MGM Grand, that offers an “That’s where I learned to sell, because you really had to work to convince people all-suite, celebrity VIP experience. “It’s a beautiful to come to a new hotel in Biloxi for a conference,” he says. “It was a great learning product,” says Pistana. “We decided to do something experience.” Pistana also spent five years at Bellagio, “which in my opinion is the different up there with a separate club level feeling greatest hotel in the world,” he says. Now, Pistana, who has been married 12 years with five star luxury, but make it comfortable and and has two children, notes that he has been wed to MGM an even longer time. “I’ve not pretentious. It’s a great place for corporate just never been pulled away from this place,” he says, and is convinced Las Vegas and groups to stay.” MGM Resorts are only going to get better. He’s very encouraged by the rebound in Through his career at MGM, Pistana has been business this year, and looks forward to even brighter days ahead for his company. most impressed with the company’s attitude toward its employees, and is convinced the end product of G 22 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n N E W YO R K - N E W YO R K newyorknewyork.com There’s only one place on Earth where you can accept an offer to buy the Brooklyn Bridge and actually get what you pay for: New York-New York. Here, in this breathtaking re-creation of Manhattan in Las Vegas, groups can enjoy experiences not to be found anywhere else along The Strip, beginning with the famous bridge itself. T “ here’s no other venue like it in town or in the world,” says Christopher Bond, executive director of sales. “You’re out on a replica of the bridge on The Strip with the facade of New York-New York and the Statue of Liberty, then you look around and see the lights of all the other properties, and everyone walking and driving by on Las Vegas Boulevard is looking up at you and wondering who you are. It’s so cool.” With 10,000 square feet of space, the Brooklyn Bridge can accommodate groups of up to 1,000 and is often booked by groups from New York-New York’s much larger sister properties. And the Brooklyn Bridge is just the beginning of what’s on tap at the 2,000room New York-New York. The property completed significant renovations in 2008, thoroughly refreshing guest rooms, amenities, meeting spaces, and the casino floor to transform the property into an up-to-date environment perfectly suited for small groups. New York-New York specializes in 40-50 room corporate groups; any group over 100 automatically becomes the big man on campus. The property is particularly popular with financial and health care groups looking for a discreet, private meeting experience. The main convention floor offers 21,000 square feet of space, with a 6,000-square-foot ballroom and 13 meeting rooms. One element of New York-New York of special value to groups is the Greenwich Village section, where shops and eateries line re-creations of streets in New York City’s famed Bohemian neighborhood. Groups can take over the town for a private function, saving on decorations, since the winding streets and charming facades provide the perfect built-in backdrop to an authentic New York event. Another great venue is ROK Vegas, a nightclub adorned with rock-inspired imagery and delivering the feel of a real downtown Manhattan nightspot. And then there’s the Bar at Times Square, another high-energy space with of every booking channel that they come across and make sure dueling pianos and space for up to 150 for private events. you’re taking care of the commitment you made with that group. If Restaurants at New York-New York echo their inspirations in we do that, they’ll do the same and support you from their side.” Manhattan, and include Nine Fine Irishmen, a pub of epic proportions starring a grand Victorian-style bar, ornate cottage areas, shop-style snugs, and two levels of outdoor patio dining with a spectacular Las Vegas Strip Christopher Bond view; Gallagher’s Steakhouse, a New York City original Executive Director of Sales since 1927, serves up plenty of sizzle with the finest 702.740.6803 | [email protected] dry-aged beef and fresh seafood; while Il Fornaio delivers award-winning New York-style Northern Italian cuisine, “As part of MGM Resorts, I’ve had the featuring homemade and imported pasta, wood-fired pizza, rotisserie chicken and duck, and hearty steaks and opportunity to enhance my Convention chops. and Leisure Sales experience at the Of course, it would be impossible to claim to replicate New York City without an homage to Coney best properties in the world.” Island’s beloved Cyclone roller coaster, and The Roller hris Bond’s road to Las Vegas is not your typical story. While studying Coaster that soars around New York-New York doesn’t finance at Texas Christian University, his father returned from a disappoint, lifting riders up 203 feet before dropping conference in Vegas enthused by a conversation he had with a manager them down 144 feet at speeds up to 67 mph. It’s an at the Flamingo about the career oppor tunities in the hotel business there. amazing thrill ride, with 180-degree barrel rolls and Soon, Chris found himself transferring to UNLV and working at the Dunes the famous “heartline” twist and dive. international buffet. “If I made enough tip money to get breakfast the next With business bouncing back strongly this year, morning at McDonald’s, it was a good night.” After graduation, he went to the Chris Bond anticipates a bright future for MGM Golden Nugget and offered to work for free so he could get his foot in the door Resorts as well as his property. “With all of us at MGM. Bond was hired (for a salary, no less) as a front desk clerk at the Nugget working together and trying to build our business in 1991. Since then, he has seen many of the original Vegas hotels torn down and in a sustainable way, as the economy continues to the landscape transformed by mega-resor ts, at the same time building his career improve, we’ll only get stronger,” he says. A key focus in these new Vegas proper ties like The Mirage and New York-New York. For for him, he adds, is to keep an eye on the evolution of the past five years, he has overseen convention sales for New York-New York, the conference industry and to be ready to adapt as and has found it to be a very rewarding field. “To see something that star ted it happens. “Things are changing with the way that from an inquiry go all the way through and see all the events that you were par t people shop for rooms, and it’s more of a challenge of planning, that’s quite a feeling,” he says. to funnel your convention customers through the traditional block,” he says. “You have to be very aware C 24 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n LUXOR luxor.com Luxor is one Las Vegas resort that, since its opening in 1993, has been impossible to overlook. The onyx pyramid rising 350 feet, its giant obelisk and Sphinx, all topped by the world’s brightest beacon of light, have made Luxor not only one of the most recognizable structures in Las Vegas but also in the world. T ogether with its two towers, Luxor today offers 4,400 guest rooms in an exciting environment with its own distinctive character, highlighted by the Liquidity Ultrabar, a modern, sleek design centered around a projection system that uses cutting-edge technology to create an ever-changing canvas of water patterns. Meeting facilities at Luxor include the 15,680-square-foot Egyptian ballroom and the 4,253-square-foot Nile Chambers, all located close to guest rooms. But one of the most compelling features for groups at Luxor is the cuisine. “We have an amazing banquet and catering team,” says Jay Simpson, Executive Director of Sales at Luxor and the adjacent Excalibur. “They never fail to impress our customers with their F&B presentation.” The most famous face in the Luxor’s kitchen is that of pastry chef Derek Franceschini, of TLC’s “Fabulous Cakes.” “Derek provides a unique opportunity to place an exclamation on any event,” says Simpson. On the season premier of “Fabulous Cakes” last year, Franceschini and his team created a gigantic cake for astronaut Buzz Aldrin that paid homage to his historic moon landing with a 600-pound moon replica and lunar landing module. The focus at Luxor are groups of between 25 and 450, who can fit comfortably in the resort’s meeting spaces. Also, because of its proximity to Mandalay Bay, Luxor often hosts overflow from that property. Groups at Luxor take advantage of the opportunity to hold private events at some of the hottest restaurants and nightclubs in Las Vegas. Chief among them is TENDER Steak & Seafood, one of Vegas’ top-rated steakhouses featuring six different types of beef and fresh seafood flown in daily from Hawaii, California, New York and Alaska. TENDER also features an intimate dining room and an extensive wine list, which won the restaurant the 2009 “Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.” Also popular is T&T, embodying traditional and modern elements of Mexican style intermixed with a rock‘n’roll flair; and LAX nightclub, the hottest in Las Vegas and one of the most talked about clubs in the country — with two stories and 26,000 square feet of space, it’s the destination of choice for A-list celebrities and the social jet-set. E XC A L I B U R n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n 25 excalibur.com There’s been a lot of action at Excalibur of late, with extensive remodeling bringing guest rooms, meeting facilities and public areas into the 21st century with verve and style. Y et Excalibur still hews to its traditional mission of bringing together the best of Las Vegas —variety, value and exciting attractions. The guest rooms, dubbed “Widescreen Rooms,” have been thoroughly overhauled from floor to ceiling, and now include 42-inch flatscreen TVs, high-speed Internet access, pillow top mattresses, and updated bathrooms with granite countertops — all wrapped in a bright, contemporary design that offers a modern take on the property’s classic castle theme. Excalibur’s full-service spa overlooks a sparkling swimming pool area that’s been expanded to twice its original size to now include sun decks, cabanas, outdoor dining and a separate, secluded relaxation pool for adults. Excalibur’s elegant meeting space is designed to bring flair, flexibility and value to meetings of 25 to 300. The Great Hall boasts 12,000 square feet of space, divisible in a wide variety of configurations, and is supported by nine meeting rooms. In the pool area, the restaurant DRENCHED is an especially appealing venue for private group functions. Luxor and Excalibur are represented by one sales team. “The combination was truly designed to create efficiencies that would not impact customer service in any way,” says Jay Simpson. “We still have dedicated property specialists and we are able to service groups that have room blocks at both properties very effectively. The combined properties provide a greater variety of dining and entertainment options while attending a meeting.” “We look at the meetings and conventions market as a top priority of what we do,” he adds. “It is a foundation of our company and without the support of the meeting planners and the groups that come here on an annual basis, Las Vegas and MGM resorts would not be what we are today.” Jay Simpson Executive Director of Sales 800.777.2771 | [email protected] 800.444.3430 | [email protected] “At MGM Resorts, we have so many properties, with so many options, that we can accommodate any group’s needs.” A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Jay Simpson had seven buffalo as pets while growing up. He studied journalism and public relations at Oklahoma University, moving to Las Vegas and taking a position in corporate development and community relations at Mirage Resorts. But he soon found his interest piqued by the hotels themselves. “After a year or two I started asking how they make these properties run, how they go about filling them, and in 1993 I went to work in sales at The Mirage,” he says. He quickly discovered why the salespeople loved their jobs so much. “I enjoyed the relationships and engaging the customer,” he says. “I found it far more entertaining and, like a game of chess, it incorporated strategy.” After an eight-year stint at Caesars Palace he returned to The Mirage in 2005, moving over to Luxor in 2009 and eventually consolidating their sales team with that of Excalibur last year. Now, with so much of his focus on meeting sales, he’s come to love working with groups. “The long-term relationships that you build with the planners are very satisfying,” he says. 26 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n CIRCUS CIRCUS circuscircus.com This is the place that never lets visitors forget the fundamental purpose of a trip to Las Vegas: to have fun. The 3,767-room Circus Circus, with 15,600 square feet of meeting space, is not just a hotel, not just a casino: it’s also a carnival, a circus and a theme park, home to the famed Midway, the world’s largest permanent big top, and Adventuredome, Las Vegas’ only indoor amusement park starring the world’s largest indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster. C ircus Circus has something for everybody of all ages,” says Tim Barnett, Vice President of Hotel Operations. “From the gaming to the restaurants to the Midway, the circus acts and our meeting rooms, we can offer a tremendous array of services but we’re not a big box.” For evidence of that look no further than the Adventuredome, featuring 25 thrilling rides and attractions including miniature golf, mini bowling, Lazer Blast (a laser tag arena), Disk’O (where passengers sit on a spinning disk which rides along a half pipe track), Inverter (on which riders are spun upside down), Chaos (a ride that spins while allowing each car to flip on its own axis while tilted to a 70 degree angle), Rim Runner (which gently takes riders up a sparkling stream before plunging them down a 60-foot waterfall), Slingshot (where passengers are shot up a tower with 4 g’s of acceleration), Sand Pirates (an out-of-control swinging pirate ship) and the 4-D Special FX Theatre. There’s even rock climbing and bungee jumping in the Xtreme Zone. The opportunity to get together on the rides and play the games helps make Circus Circus an especially popular destination for groups looking to bond and enjoy some team building. “We can close off The Adventuredome for groups of up to 5,000,” says Barnett. “They can do everything from Lazer Blast to the Canyon Cars bumper cars, or go between different group functions throughout the facility with teams going against each other. It brings the youth out of adults.” In terms of dedicated meeting facilities, Circus Circus offers a 8,576-square-foot ballroom and eight meeting rooms. Groups can hold private events in the resort’s many restaurants. Chief among them is The Steak House, which just won the 2011 Zagat award for the sister in the MGM Resorts family, the rest of the clan never top steakhouse in Las Vegas, and which serves up mesquiteoverlooks her. “I interact with the other properties on a daily grilled steaks aged 21 days and cooked to perfection, prime rib, basis,” says Barnett. “It’s a great resource for us. I’ve never seen lobster, lamb chops, crab legs and other seafood. At the sprawling, anything better than the cooperation and the fellowship that 14,000-square-foot Rock & Rita’s, the world’s top flair bartenders everybody shares, and the best practices that all share with and All-American signature dishes, such as hot dog sliders, overeverybody.” the-top Ulcerator Burger, meatloaf sandwich and Mac’s Mac & Cheese, take center stage. Rock & Rita’s can handle up to 300 people for a private event. The Midway boasts a huge selection of Tim Barnett entertaining games, all of which surround a circus Vice President of Hotel Operations stage featuring world-famous acts including 800.765.4449 | [email protected] acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, contortionists, dancers and magicians. At the Arcade, 200 of the most popular arcade games from the past several decades “I’m definitely a people person. help get meeting-goers’ adrenaline going. There’s I love interaction, and what also a 40,000-square-foot shopping Promenade and, better way than to host of course, 100,000 square feet of gaming in the Main Casino, West Casino, Skyrise Casino and Slots A Fun. thousands of people a day?” Circus Circus plays a big role for citywide conventions because of its proximity to the Las Vegas o one knows Las Vegas better than Tim Barnett, who came here in the Convention Center. On its own, the property caters mid-70s to play running back for the UNLV Rebels. “After getting out here primarily to small and medium-sized groups, according I decided just to go to school instead,” he says. “I saw the size of some to Barnett. “The ideal size group for meetings is of the guys on the team and realized that I didn’t want to kill myself. I talked to the usually 150 to 250” he says. “We get a lot of groups of coach and he said, “kid, I hope you know what you’re doing.” ” The city that Barnett 100 to 150. For team-building in The Adventuredome decided to make his home was a very different place from the mammoth fantasia it we can accommodate anything from hundreds to thousands.” is today. “Las Vegas was incredible then, with the old Sands, the Dunes, the Sahara, Barnett also notes that there’s something about all the Flamingo,” he remembers.”It was so easy to get around, you could be across the fun that people have at Circus Circus that inspires town in 15 minutes.” While at school he worked at many of these classic hotels, boundless loyalty in the groups that patronize it. and after graduating from UNLV’s hotel program in 1979, Barnett got a job at the “People have been coming here for a long time,” he Sands as an assistant manager. He eventually came to Circus Circus in 1999, which says. “They come back time and again for the value he considers to be a stroke of destiny as “I love to clown around.” and the product they receive.” N Although Circus Circus is the giggly, light-hearted 28 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n MGM GRAND DETROIT mgmgranddetroit.com Detroit is on the rise, with the American auto industry coming back leaner, meaner and healthier, and a massive development project underway on the Detroit International Riverfront that is expected to serve as a linchpin in Detroit’s bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics. O ne of the most visible symbols of Detroit’s renaissance is MGM Grand Detroit, the first luxury casino resort in a major metropolis outside of Las Vegas and the first in downtown Detroit. “It was a huge thing that MGM invested money in the city,” says Lisa Williams, director of sales. “By investing $800 million to build the first hotel here from the ground up in years, they showed that they believed in the momentum and the direction the city was going.” And the property that they opened in 2007 is befitting a city that is transforming itself. The 400-room MGM Grand Detroit is already at the heart of the city’s nightlife, with its hot bars, trendy restaurants, indulgent spa and of course, the casino. “The property is a resort in the middle of the city,” says Williams. “You can come in and actually enjoy four-star dining, four-star spa services, and also be within walking distance of baseball, football, hockey and the cultural center. There’s nowhere else in the country that I know of where you can get such a great value.” For groups, MGM Grand Detroit boasts 30,000 square feet of event space for private parties, conferences and events for up to 800 people. The Grand Ballroom opens to 14,000 square feet or divides into four Ballroom Salons. There are three meeting rooms, Amber, Garnet and Sapphire, offering 1,600 square feet each. The Onyx and Quartz executive boardrooms accommodate up to 18 people each. With facilities of that size, the MGM Grand Detroit specializes in groups of 200 or less, which often take the form of medium-sized executive programs. Because of the casino, the fine dining and the great entertainment options, the property is also popular with incentive planners. “We do wonderful incentives because we make luxury affordable and accessible,” says Williams. “For our clients, in economic times like now, that’s a huge plus.” Among the resort’s most compelling attractions are five Vegas; not only does it benefit MGM Resorts, but also her local nightlife venues and three signature restaurants, which groups can clients. “It’s wonderful for a Detroit-based corporation to have a buy out. The Wolfgang Puck Grille, featuring the culinary legend’s direct link to Vegas,” she says. “We can make a direct connection innovative cuisine, is a contemporary version of the classic barfor them and they don’t have to start their search from scratch.” and-grill employing fresh, seasonal, all-natural and organic ingredients. At Bourbon Steak, Michael Mina has created a contemporary American steakhouse with a focus on the finest meats and freshest seafood Lisa Williams available worldwide. Mina is also the mastermind Director of Sales behind Saltwater, featuring seafood favorites like 877.646.3868 | [email protected] Michigan Fish & Chips, Beer-battered Prawns, San Francisco Cioppino and more. Nightspots include Agua Rum & Tequila bar, Ignite “People travel for many reasons, Sushi Bar & Lounge, Int Ice, U Me Drink and the pulsing and knowing that I could make their V Nightclub, considered one of the best in town. Since opening, MGM Grand Detroit has been the experience comfortable while being stage for a number of high profile events. Williams away from home is what made was especially excited by the Gallery Event hosted me go into hospitality.” during the North American International Auto Show, which welcomes the world’s rich and powerful as they hen Detroit native (and former All-City cheerleader) Lisa Williams browse unique cars unavailable anywhere else. took her first full-time hospitality job as a catering service manager at a Even though Detroit is a long way from Las Vegas, Marriott in suburban Detroit, she wasn’t sure what she was getting into. Williams does not feel like MGM Grand Detroit is an She had worked when younger as a server for her grandfather’s catering company, isolated outpost. There has been considerable back and assumed this was the same thing. “When I went for the interview the HR director and forth between Detroit and Vegas. “We have an explained that the job was setting up the meeting rooms and the tables and chairs,” automotive company that was at Bellagio one year, she says. “I figured I could do that, so I talked him into giving me the opportunity.” She but with the decline of the market a lot of those quickly found that her biggest obstacle was not the heavy lifting, but the attitudes of meetings stopped traveling,” says Williams. “So we her co-workers. “It was all men, and I was leading them even though I was a woman,” had the opportunity to host that meeting. Once the she says. “On the first meeting they resented me, but after our first setup it went away economy comes back and everything gets stronger, because they found I could carry tables and pull a stack of chairs as well as anyone that customer will go back to an MGM Resorts else.” Williams has come a long way since then, and after many years at Marriott is property in Vegas.” thrilled now to be part of MGM Resorts and its contribution to Detroit’s renaissance. Williams is always happy to facilitate contact W betwen Detroit-based companies and her peers in Las 30 n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n BEAU RIVAGE beaurivage.com Southern elegance. Southern hospitality. All served up with Las Vegas flair. This is Beau Rivage, the jewel of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the leader in gaming, entertainment and meetings in the revived resort area of Biloxi. M ike Davis should know. As director of hotel sales and marketing, he opened Beau Rivage twice: first, in 1999, and again in 2006 after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In the wake of that terrible event, Davis was able to witness firsthand the dedication of MGM Resorts not only to the resort’s staff, but also to the community in which they do business. “Our parent company was on the ground within days and made a commitment to the employees and the people of the Gulf Coast that Beau Rivage would be back,” he says. “We set an aggressive timeline to be open one year to the day of the storm. And we met that deadline.” In that time, MGM Resorts not only paid employees for 90 days, the company also guaranteed they would be rehired once Beau Rivage was reopened — a significant promise, considering that the property employs 2,600 people. “One of the greatest things is that when we did reopen, 75 percent of our original employees came back to us,” says Davis. In that rebuilding year, the Beau Rivage was completely remodeled. Today, it boasts 1,740 guest rooms and 50,000 square feet of meeting space, including three ballrooms: the 17,000-square-foot Magnolia Ballroom, 7,200-square-foot Camellia Ballroom and 4,400-square-foot Azalea Ballroom. But just as popular with groups are the property’s fine restaurants and outdoor spaces. “We have a large area that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico that we use for parties and receptions,” says Davis. “We are able to walk outside and utilize the whole Gulf Coast and its 26 miles of beach.” Beau Rivage is also near the heart of Biloxi, which is packed with historical sites, shops and museums in which the Beau Rivage event staff can organize functions. “I grew up here,” says Davis. “I’ve seen how tourism impacts the lives down here, and now I’ve seen how what we have to offer can affect the people who come here. Everybody wins.” Mike Davis Director of Hotel Sales and Marketing 228.386.7171 | [email protected] “I’ve seen the impact that tourism can have on people’s lives, and it’s great to be a part of such an important business.” A native of Ocean Springs, Miss., Mike Davis always knew the Gulf Coast was a great tourist destination. “We just didn’t have a lot of tourists,” he says. He’s helped change that. Entranced with the hospitality industry from a young age, he decided to learn more about it in the City College of San Francisco’s hotel and restaurant program. “I had just returned from a camp job as a counselor in the Bay Area and fell in love with it.” There, he met his wife and brought her back to the Gulf Coast when the casino industry began to take off there in 1993. “I fell in love with the lifestyle of entertaining and working with groups and meetings,” he says. “My clients are my friends and we really have an opportunity to create something special for them while they’re here.” As a past King of the Mardi Gras and founder of the Krewe of Barry, his local Mardi Gras organization, Davis know how important it is to have fun. “I can guarantee you a good time here in Biloxi.” GOLD STRIKE n M G M R E S O R T S I N T E R N AT I O N A L n 31 goldstrikemississippi.com “This is a very glamorous hotel,” says Kimberly Jordan-Sides, senior sales manager. “Our lobby is just absolutely gorgeous. And we really focus on friendly service here.” L ocated in Tunica, Miss., just outside of Memphis, Tenn., Gold Strike boasts 1,133 newly-renovated rooms and a 30,000-square-foot convention center, featuring the 9,000-square-foot Live Oak room, and the Magnolia and Dogwood rooms, each 1,140 square feet. The Millenium Theatre seats 766. Ideal group size here is 100-150, and their market is primarily corporate meetings. In her five years at the hotel, what has most impressed Jordan-Sides is Gold Strike’s banquet team. “You won’t find better service in banquets anywhere,” she says. “I’ve been at many different properties, so I know. Our banquet staff here has been together 10 years, and their service is impeccable.” At Gold Strike, the attitude toward groups is simple: whatever they want to do, the Gold Strike staff will find a way to do it. For example, two years ago there was a FedEx meeting in-house, and the president of the division had an unusual request: “He wanted to ride in on a John Deere tractor onto our stage,” says Jordan-Sides. “When people want to do these things, so often they’ll be told they can’t. I always find a way to do it. I was able to make that happen for him, and it was wonderful.” Dining options at Gold Strike include the Wine Spectator Award-winning Chicago Steakhouse, a traditional steak house with a contemporary twist that serves up the finest restaurant experience the Mid-South has to offer. Liquid Assets is the property’s hot ultra lounge, bringing a touch of LA nightlife to the Tunica scene. Meeting attendees can take in some action at the 50,000-square-foot casino, home to the World Poker Open, or relax at the Golden Reflections Spa, featuring a heated pool, gym, massage therapy and a full range of spa treatments. Kimberly Jordan-Sides Senior Sales Manager 866.607.3444 | [email protected] “I love the dynamics of being able to work with planners and helping to make their meetings successful.” K imberly Jordan-Sides was studying to be a teacher at the University of Mississippi when she started working in hotels part-time. Soon, her plans for the future changed. “I absolutely fell in love with hotels,” she says, and soon switched majors to hotel management. After graduation she took a job as a restaurant manager at Radisson, bringing into play her experience at the restaurants her family had owned while she was growing up. Then she moved into sales at Promise Hotels, eventually becoming part of Hilton Hotels and helping to open new brands like Homewood Suites. She came to Gold Strike in 2006. “When I first interviewed here I met three or four top managers, and I’ve never been that impressed as with those people,” she says. “I asked every manager if they would go somewhere else if they had an offer, and everyone of them said they would never leave.” Jordan-Sides is very gratified to have helped Gold Strike weather the economic storm of the past several years, and is happy to see that business is on the rise. “It’s just picked up tremendously from what it was last year,” she says. “Corporations are opening up the money flow.” MAkING THE SCENES MGM Resorts Events Brings it all to life L as Vegas is a town where dreams become reality and that is guaranteed to happen each and every day at MGM Resorts Events. The event production company, wholly-owned by MGM Resorts International, is responsible for creating the most exciting, beautiful, and engaging corporate events under the bright Nevada sun. “One can’t ask for a better job than this,” says King Dahl, executive director of event design. “We create memorable experiences executed with our precise blend of creative collaboration, fastidious preparation, and the complete fulfillment of the desires of our clients and their guests attending our productions.” The Las Vegas studio is a true fantasyland, staffed with dozens of artisans and designers that keep the shelves packed with more high-quality event products than any meeting planner could ever wish for. “It’s an inspiring atmosphere,” say Lenny Talarico CSEP, director of events. “We have a vast inventory of props, furniture, and linens. And we have the tools and talent to design anything — from a large format printing and graphics department, to a full woodshop and paint facility, a floral design studio, and a staff of seamstresses. Our logistics personnel support an event management staff available to serve you at any property owned by MGM Resorts International.” “And our entertainment productions are second to none,” adds Dahl. MGM Resorts Events operates like an Impressionist painter, applying color to canvas in seemingly unrelated dashes of paint, bringing it all together in a way that, once one sees the whole picture, reveals a complete masterwork. Just as important is their focus on saving the customer’s resources, while creating sustainable event environments. MGM Resorts Events designs their entire inventory collection to be repurposed, resold, and retrofitted for a variety of applications. And their assets are efficiently stored and transported resulting in significant cost savings for customers. They work in complete synergy with MGM Resorts sales and convention staffs to serve every client regardless of group size or budget. “We’re in the business of saying yes,” says Dahl, “and we fully respect that our clients expect, demand, and deserve an exceptional experience at each and every event.” Sahara Ave. CIRCUS CIRCUS Desert Inn Rd. Spring Mountain Rd. Fashion Show Mall Sands Ave. Paradise Rd. La sV eg as Bl vd . Las Vegas Convention Center THE MIRAGE BELLAGIO VDARA Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas Blvd. Flamingo Rd. Harmon Ave. MONTE CARLO THE SIGNATURE MGM GRAND Tropicana Ave. EXCALIBUR LUXOR 15 MANDALAY BAY Russell Rd. 215 Las Vegas Blvd. THEhotel McCarran International Airport Sunset Rd. e Rd. NEW YORKNEW YORK Tropicana Ave. Paradis ARIA