MGM Resorts International Named as Recipient of 2010 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 11, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- MGM Resorts International, a global leader in bringing sustainability to the hospitality industry, announced today that Travel + Leisure named the Company as a recipient of its 2010 Global Vision Award for the contributions CityCenter is making to improving the world through travel.  CityCenter garnered six LEED Gold Certifications, and at 18 million square feet, is the largest environmentally sustainable, mixed-use construction development in the world.  

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100618/MGMINTLOGO)

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100618/MGMINTLOGO)

"We are extremely proud of this award and honored that Travel + Leisure has recognized the quality and leadership that MGM Resorts International represents when it comes to environmental sustainability," said Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice President of the Energy and Environmental Services Division at MGM Resorts International.  "CityCenter is a perfect example of how we are driving a new paradigm of sustainability in Las Vegas and the hospitality industry in general, and we remain committed to improving these efforts at all of our properties each and every day.  Most importantly, this award is a true testament to the talent of our employees who are personally driving our environmental responsibility vision forward."

The 2010 Global Vision Award is one of several impressive industry awards that the Company has received for its sustainability efforts.  Earlier this month, Newsweek named MGM Resorts International to its annual Green Rankings list as the highest-rated company in the gaming and casino space.  In July of this year, the Green Key Global Eco-Rating Program recognized 12 MGM Resorts properties for their exceptional efforts in "greening" their business operations.  This includes ARIA Resort & Casino, Vdara Hotel & Spa and Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, which are three of only four properties in the United States to have received 5 Keys, the highest honor of the Eco-Rating Program.    

Travel + Leisure's annual Global Vision Awards honor the companies and organizations that are harnessing travel to positively impact our world.  According to the 2010 Global Vision Awards, MGM Resorts was honored because, even though Las Vegas may seem like an unlikely paragon of sustainability, CityCenter is anything but conventional.  This leadership is reflected in CityCenter's cutting-edge green-building techniques and how it is giving classic Vegas luxuries a new twist. But the sheer scale of CityCenter's accomplishments is what is most notable. The development's efficiency initiatives alone save an estimated 94 million kWh of energy and 50 million gallons of water each year, making it a clear leader in improving the world through sustainable travel. 

The winners of the Global Vision Awards were chosen by an esteemed panel of seven judges, including Nobel-prize winning economist Dr. Joseph Stiglitz; model, designer, and goodwill ambassador for the World Health Organization Liya Kebede; and Oscar-winning documentarian (The Cove) Louie Psihoyos. The winners are recognized in five categories—conservation, sustainability, preservation, development, and leadership—and represent the latest and best examples of the power of travel as an engine of positive change.

About MGM Resorts International

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. The Company has significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 15 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50% investments in four other properties in Nevada, Illinois and Macau. One of those investments is CityCenter, an unprecedented urban resort destination on the Las Vegas Strip featuring its centerpiece ARIA Resort & Casino. Through its hospitality management subsidiary, the Company holds a growing number of development and management agreements for casino and non-casino resort projects around the world. MGM Resorts International supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association's Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its gaming properties. The Company has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative, its community philanthropy programs and the Company's commitment to sustainable development and operations. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's Web site at www.mgmresorts.com.

About Travel + Leisure

With an eye for the authentic, the innovative, and the irresistible, Travel + Leisure (www.travelandleisure.com, @travlandleisure) fuses expert reporting on culture, food, style, and design with stunning photography, transporting readers to the places—and the travel experiences—that matter now. T+L, the monthly title from American Express Publishing and the long-standing authority in its field, has the largest audience of any travel magazine and is an indispensable guide for global nomads. Travel + Leisure has a network of international editions, including Travel + Leisure Mexico, Travel + Leisure Turkey, Travel + Leisure China, Travel + Leisure South Asia, and Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.

SOURCE MGM Resorts International