Full-property makeover continues at MGM Grand

It's not every day you hear the president of a 5,000-room Strip hotel-casino describe his property as a dormitory.

But that's exactly what Scott Sibella considered the MGM Grand when he took over leadership of the resort almost two years ago.

The hotel was running at more than 90 percent room occupancy, but the guests were there only to sleep. Their outside activities took place elsewhere on the Strip.

"Less than 10 percent of our guests that stayed here would go to our nightlife outlets," Sibella said. "Our cab lines were like a mile long on weekends. We wanted to give people a reason to stay."

Since February, the MGM Grand has been undergoing a complete makeover with casino and public area upgrades, new restaurants, entertainment and a fresh and contemporary look.

A renovation of the MGM Grand's rooms and suites was the initial endeavor.

The first part of the process was displayed Thursday as property owner MGM Resorts International showed off 14 Skyline Terrace suites, which offer northern and southern views of the Strip from spacious outdoor balconies and two levels.

The $160 million renovation covered 4,200 of MGM Grand's 5,000 rooms.

The 2,000-square-foot one- and two-bedroom suites are terraced up the front of the MGM Grand. The units can be rented starting at $725 a night and are priced based on availability. The suites are primarily for use by big-spending casino customers.

Sibella said the hotel needed to be tackled by decorators before the casino was touched.

"The rooms and suite products clearly needed to be upgraded," Sibella said. "We have this beautiful mansion and skylofts. But after that, it really fell off. This helps us stay competitive."

As part of the room upgrades, the MGM Grand is converting 42 hotel rooms in the main tower into the first-ever Stay Well rooms, which are designed by real estate developer Delos.

The rooms will have more than 12 health-and-wellness features such as specialized room lighting and an air purification system, and will incorporate an advanced water filtration system that infuses Vitamin C into shower water.

Delos collaborated with doctors and researchers at Columbia University Medical School and the Cleveland Clinic to design some of the room's features, which are designed to reverse jet lag, reset the body's internal 24-hour clock and regulate melatonin levels to promote better sleep.

The Stay Well rooms come with a $30- per-night upgrade above the prevailing room rates. The rooms are expected to be completed next month.

Sibella said a renovation of the MGM Grand's casino is about 70 percent complete. He didn't give a price for the public area upgrades. The idea was to make the transition seamless for guests going from the rooms to the casino.

The entire space will be finished in the spring, when the Hakkasan restaurant and nightclub is completed at the resort's Strip entrance.

The MGM Grand is also adding new entertainment venues and midlevel restaurants with midlevel price points.

"We have Joel Robuchon restaurant and a food court," Sibella said. "We will soon have more diversity than any other place on the Strip."

Contact reporter Howard Stutz at hstutz@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3871.
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