by Ray Smith, Exhibit City News
MGM Resorts International and Marriott International have entered into a marketing agreement to bring high-end guests to its Las Vegas properties, including conventioneers who typically spend more than the average rate for hotel rooms.
The exclusive, long-term strategic licensing agreement creates MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, a market-sharing program that willlaunch in October and encompasses 17 MGM resorts with more than 40,000 rooms in Las Vegas and other U.S. cities.
Several MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts will be available for booking in October on Marriott.com and the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. They’re also found on MGM’s digital platforms.
“We look forward to working with our colleagues at Marriott to further broaden MGM Resorts’ reach within the meetings segment as we continue to work with our existing clients in the same capacity we always have,” Stephanie Glanzer, senior vice president and chief of sales for MGM Resorts International, states in an email to ECN. “This new agreement will create greater opportunity for many of our attendees and planners who we know are frequent visitors to both MGM Resorts and Marriott properties throughout the country.”
MGM Resorts will end its previous marketing agreement with World of Hyatt, which falls well short of Marriott’s outreach, effective Sept. 30.
CUSTOMER LOYALTY
MGM’s estimated 40 million Rewards loyalty members will have access to Bonvoy’s loyalty program, and Bonvoy’s 180 million members will be exposed to MGM’s slick marketing network.
Over the years, Las Vegas has expanded its tourism base from gaming and conventions to fine dining, upscale shopping, professional sports, headline entertainment, and trendy nightclubs and day clubs.
MGM counts more than 500 restaurants at its hotel properties, arguably some of the best in the world, including Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans Fish House, Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen, L’Atalier de Joel Robuchon, Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill, International Smoke by Michael Mina, and Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak.
“This historic, long-term agreement brings together two of the most trusted and iconic brands in hospitality and entertainment,” Bill Hornbuckle, president and CEO of MGM Resorts, says in a statement announcing the deal. “We’ve seen first-hand the strong demand from Marriott customers through our existing relationship at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and this new agreement will enable us to further optimize our overall profitability.”
ROOM INCREASE
Las Vegas hotels that will join the collection in October: Vdara, MGM Grand, NoMad Las Vegas, The Signature at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, New York-New York, Luxor, and Excalibur. Four resorts will be affiliated with existing Marriott luxury brands: Bellagio, Park MGM, Aria and The Cosmopolitan.
Also, to be added: Borgata (New Jersey), Beau Rivage (Mississippi), MGM Grand Detroit (Michigan), MGM National Harbor (Maryland), and MGM Springfield (Massachusetts).
Anthony Capuano, president and CEO of Marriott International, says he’s looking forward to increasing Marriott’s global room distribution by 2.4 percent and growing its presence on the Strip.
“We are excited to make MGM Resorts’ incredible properties available on Marriott channels, allowing our members to enjoy Marriott Bonvoy benefits when they stay at MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts,” Capuano comments in a company press release.
