MGM Mirage resigns membership in Nevada Resort Association

Casino giant MGM Mirage resigned its membership in the Nevada Resort Association today, citing budgetary cutbacks as the reason for dropping out of the gaming lobby group.

MGM Mirage, which operates 10 resorts on the Strip and is building the $9.2 billion CityCenter development, was the resort association’s largest member. The company did not say how much it was saving by dropping out of the resort association.

“The company made a decision to resign from the NRA for budgetary reasons,” said MGM Mirage spokesman Gordon Absher. “It would be inappropriate for others to read too much into this.”

Absher said the resignation had nothing to do with the company’s stance on an advisory question on the Nov. 4 ballot on whether or not hotel room taxes should be increased.

Three casino companies, Harrah’s, Wynn Resorts and Station Casinos, are supporting the question along with the state teacher’s union. The measure calls for sending funds from the proposed increase to the state general budget. The money would be earmarked for education spending in the first two years. The money would be used to pay for increased teacher salaries in the following years.

MGM Mirage Chairman and CEO Terry Lanni has expressed his opposition to the ballot question.

Following the contentious 2003 legislative session, MGM Mirage resigned its membership in the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and other business development groups. Lanni was disappointed chamber leaders didn't support a statewide tax on gross business receipts.

Resort association President Bill Bible was unavailable for comment.

“We appreciate the efforts of Bill Bible and his team,” Absher said. “The simple fact is that MGM Mirage have a government affairs team that does work in those same areas.”