MGM Resorts International (NYSE:MGM) announced the promotion of Corey Sanders to chief operating officer, and the promotion of Gamal Aziz to president and chief executive officer of MGM Hospitality.
"Corey's exceptional operating experience and keen knowledge of financial strategy and discipline will benefit the entire company in this expanded role," said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO. "Over a year ago, we promoted Corey Sanders to chief operating officer of our core brand properties and Bill Hornbuckle to the new position of chief marketing officer for our company. These first steps have proven indispensable to our future success by uniting our great resorts into the powerful marketing organization that our company is becoming."
Mr. Sanders has been with the company for more than 16 years, and has held a variety of executive positions. In addition to serving as chief financial officer of both MGM Grand Las Vegas and MGM Grand Resorts, he has also served as executive vice president - operations, where he developed both growth opportunities and operating efficiencies for the company.
"Corey has proven his aptitude, effectiveness and creativity by instilling a culture of cooperation that has strengthened our marketing initiatives and improved the guest experience. Our entire company will benefit from Corey's increased scope and responsibilities over all of our wholly owned resorts, including our luxury brands: Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage," said Mr. Murren.
MGM Hospitality was formed to operate casinos and non-gaming hotels, resorts and residences in key destinations around the world under the brands Bellagio, MGM Grand and Skylofts. Since the launch in 2008, Mr. Aziz has served in dual capacity as head of MGM Hospitality and as president and COO of the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
"The overwhelming response to the globalization of our high-end resort brands has driven the early success of MGM Hospitality and now requires Gamal's full focus to shepherd this exciting and rapidly expanding global management business," added Murren.
Mr. Aziz joined MGM Resorts International in 1998 as senior vice president at Bellagio and played an integral role in the resort's opening and early success. In 2001, he was promoted to president and chief operating officer of MGM Grand, where he has overseen a multiyear evolution in the resort's offerings that has led the property to debut more than 36 major new venues since 2001.
Leading MGM Hospitality, Mr. Aziz has expanded the company's luxury hotel brands abroad by entering into 18 signed agreements. Thus far, the announced projects in the development pipeline are in Beijing, Sanya, Chengdu and Tianjin, China; Cairo and Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Ho Tram, Vietnam. MGM Hospitality's first scheduled opening is the MGM Grand Sanya on Hainan Island, set for 4Q 2011. In addition, the company is currently in active discussions for numerous projects around the world including Australia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey and additional cities in the Middle East and China.
Statements in this release which are not historical facts are forward looking statements and safe harbor statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the U.S. the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and other related laws that involve risks and/or uncertainties, including risks and/or uncertainties as described in the company's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We have based those forward-looking statements on management's current expectations and assumptions and not on historical facts. In providing forward-looking statements, the company is not undertaking any duty or obligation to update these statements publicly as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as required by law.