New execs named at several Strip resorts

MGM Resorts International is shuffling around its deck of top executives, naming multiple people to new roles at several of its Las Vegas Strip properties.

Sean Lanni, current president and chief operating officer at The Cosmopolitan casino-hotel, will expand his duties to take on similar roles at Aria, Vdara and Park MGM casino-hotels, the company announced Thursday.

Lanni, who has been with the company since 2007, is the son-in-law of MGM Resorts International President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle. Prior to taking over as top executive at The Cosmopolitan in February 2024, he served as MGM Resorts’ president of international marketing for more than five years.

Mike Neubecker, president and COO of MGM Grand, Excalibur, New York-New York and Signature, will now also oversee Mandalay Bay and Luxor. Travis Lunn, who had been serving as president of the latter two properties, will remain with MGM, reporting to Neubecker, according to a company memo detailing the changes.

The property-level changes are the result of recent corporate-level moves.

Ayesha Molino, the current president and COO at Aria and Vdara, was named chief operating officer for MGM Resorts International, effective Jan. 1, 2026. Molino is succeeding Corey Sanders, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Park MGM and Bellagio had been under the purview of Ann Hoff, who retired as president and COO of the two properties earlier this year.

The internal company memo explains that Bellagio, Aria/Vdara, Park MGM and The Cosmopolitan will all be getting new general managers. The Bellagio general manager will report directly to Molino, while the general managers of the others will report to Lanni.

Those roles are expected to be filled internally, according to the internal note from Hornbuckle.

The memo also notes Steve Zanella, currently president of operations for MGM Resorts, has been nominated to serve as president and CEO of the company’s Japan operations. MGM is currently constructing the first casino resort in Osaka, Japan, which is expected to open in 2030. MGM said it will conduct open interviews and promote a current regional property president to fill the expanded president of regional operations role.

“I’ve never been more excited about the future of this great company and am confident these new leaders and teams will achieve great success,” Hornbuckle wrote.

Hornbuckle recently agreed to a contract extension through the end of 2028. According to a news release, Hornbuckle was offered an advisory role at the conclusion of his current term to assist with the opening of the company’s yet-to-be-completed casino resort in Japan.

Contact David Danzis at ddanzis@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0378. Follow @AC2Vegas_Danzis on X.