UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

 

FORM 10-K

 

(Mark One)

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018

 

OR

 

 

For the transition period from                      to                     

 

Commission File No. 001-10362

 

 

MGM Resorts International

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South - Las Vegas, Nevada  89109

(Address of principal executive office)                                             (Zip Code)

 

(702) 693-7120

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

 

None

 

 

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes   X      No          

 

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.     Yes            No   X  

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days:     Yes    X      No         

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).     Yes    X      No         

 

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K:         

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

 

 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.        ___

 

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act):     Yes            No    X  

 

The aggregate market value of the Registrant’s Common Stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant as of June 30, 2018 (based on the closing price on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape on June 30, 2018) was $15.6 billion.  As of February 22, 2019, 536,916,609 shares of Registrant’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value, were outstanding.

 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

Portions of the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.

 

 

 

 

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PART I

 

 

MGM Resorts International is referred to as the “Company,” “MGM Resorts,” or the “Registrant,” and together with its subsidiaries may also be referred to as “we,” “us” or “our.” MGM China Holdings Limited together with its subsidiaries is referred to as “MGM China.” Except where the context indicates otherwise, “MGP” refers to MGM Growth Properties LLC together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

Overview

 

MGM Resorts International is a Delaware corporation incorporated in 1986 that acts largely as a holding company and, through subsidiaries, owns and operates integrated casino, hotel, and entertainment resorts across the United States and in Macau.

 

MGM Growth Properties LLC (“MGP”), a consolidated subsidiary of the Company which completed its initial public offering in April 2016, is organized as an umbrella partnership REIT (commonly referred to as an UPREIT) structure in which substantially all of its assets are owned by and substantially all of its businesses are conducted through MGM Growth Properties Operating Partnership LP (the “Operating Partnership”). Pursuant to a master lease agreement between a subsidiary of the Company (the “tenant”) and a subsidiary of the Operating Partnership (the “landlord”), the tenant leases the real estate assets of The Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, New York-New York, Park MGM (which was branded as Monte Carlo prior to May 2018), Excalibur, The Park, Gold Strike Tunica, MGM Grand Detroit, Beau Rivage, Borgata, and MGM National Harbor from the landlord. See Note 1 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for information regarding MGP and the Operating Partnership, which we consolidate in our financial statements, and Note 17 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for information regarding the master lease with MGP.

 

We believe we own or invest in several of the finest casino resorts in the world and we continually reinvest in our resorts to maintain our competitive advantage. We make significant investments in our resorts through newly remodeled hotel rooms, restaurants, entertainment and nightlife offerings, as well as other new features and amenities. We believe we operate the highest quality resorts in each of the markets in which we operate. Ensuring our resorts are the premier resorts in their respective markets requires capital investments to maintain the best possible experiences for our guests.

 

Business Developments

 

In August 2016, we completed the acquisition of Boyd Gaming Corporation’s (“Boyd Gaming”) ownership interest in Borgata, at which time Borgata became a consolidated subsidiary of ours. Subsequently, MGP acquired Borgata’s real property from us.  In December 2016, we opened MGM National Harbor and, in October 2017, MGP also acquired the long-term leasehold interest and real property associated with MGM National Harbor from us.

 

In February 2018, we opened MGM Cotai, an integrated casino, hotel and entertainment resort on the Cotai Strip in Macau, and in August 2018, we opened MGM Springfield in Springfield, Massachusetts.

 

In July 2018, MGP completed its previously announced acquisition of the membership interests of Northfield Park Associates, LLC (“Northfield”), an Ohio limited liability company that owns the real estate assets and operations of the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park from Milstein Entertainment LLC for a purchase price of approximately $1.1 billion (“Northfield Acquisition”). Simultaneously with the close of the transaction, MGP entered into a new agreement with an affiliate of Hard Rock Café International (STP), Inc. to continue to serve as the manager of the property.

 

In September 2018, we entered into an agreement with MGP to acquire all of the operating assets of Northfield (“Northfield OpCo”) from MGP for approximately $275 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Northfield will be added to the existing master lease between us and MGP. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

In December 2018, we entered into an agreement with MGP whereby MGP will pay us consideration of approximately $638 million for renovations undertaken by us regarding the Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas property (the “Park MGM Lease Transaction”). Additionally, at closing, the parties will enter into an amendment to the existing master lease. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

 

In January 2019, we completed our previously announced acquisition of the real property and operations associated with Empire City Casino's race track and casino ("Empire City") for consideration of approximately $864 million, subject to customary working capital and other adjustments. Subsequently, MGP acquired Empire City’s real property from us for fair value of consideration of

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approximately $634 million. In connection with this transaction, we entered into an amendment to the existing master lease for our subsidiary to lease back the real estate assets of Empire City from the landlord. In addition, pursuant to the master lease amendment, we agreed to provide MGP a right of first offer with respect to certain undeveloped land adjacent to the property to the extent that we develop additional gaming facilities and choose to sell or transfer such property in the future.

 

Resort Operations

 

General

 

Most of our revenue is cash-based, through customers wagering with cash or paying for non-gaming services with cash or credit cards. We rely heavily on the ability of our resorts to generate operating cash flow to fund capital expenditures, provide excess cash flow for future development, acquisitions or investments, and repay debt financings.

 

Our results of operations do not tend to be seasonal in nature, though a variety of factors may affect the results of any interim period, including the timing of major conventions, the amount and timing of marketing and special events for our high-end gaming customers, and the level of play during major holidays, including New Year and Lunar New Year. While our results do not depend on key individual customers, a significant portion of our operating income is generated from high-end gaming customers, which can cause variability in our results. In addition, our success in marketing to customer groups such as convention customers and the financial health of customer segments such as business travelers or high-end gaming customers from a specific country or region can affect our results.

 

All of our casino resorts operate 24 hours a day, every day of the year, with the exception of our newly acquired Empire City Casino which operates 20 hours a day, every day of the year. At our domestic resorts, our primary casino and hotel operations are owned and managed by us. Other resort amenities may be owned and operated by us, owned by us but managed by third parties for a fee, or leased to third parties. We utilize third-party management for specific expertise in operations of restaurants and nightclubs. We lease space to retail and food and beverage operators, particularly for branding opportunities.

 

Las Vegas Strip Resorts and Regional Operations

Las Vegas Strip Resorts. At December 31, 2018, our Las Vegas Strip Resorts consisted of the following casino resorts: Bellagio, MGM Grand Las Vegas (including The Signature), Mandalay Bay (including Delano and Four Seasons), The Mirage, Luxor, New York-New York (including the Park), Excalibur, Park MGM (including NoMad Las Vegas) and Circus Circus Las Vegas.

Regional Operations. At December 31, 2018, our Regional Operations consisted of the following casino resorts: MGM Grand Detroit in Detroit, Michigan; Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi; Gold Strike Tunica in Tunica, Mississippi; Borgata in Atlantic City, New Jersey; MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland; and MGM Springfield in Springfield, Massachusetts.

 

Over half of the net revenue from our domestic resorts is derived from non-gaming operations, including hotel, food and beverage, entertainment and other non-gaming amenities. We market to different customers and utilize our significant convention and meeting facilities to allow us to maximize hotel occupancy and customer volumes which also leads to better labor utilization. Our operating results are highly dependent on the volume of customers at our resorts, which in turn affects the price we can charge for our hotel rooms and other amenities.

 

Our casino operations feature a variety of slots, table games, and race and sports book wagering. In addition, we offer our premium players access to high-limit rooms and lounge experiences where players may enjoy an upscale atmosphere.

 

MGM China

 

We own approximately 56% of MGM China, which owns MGM Grand Paradise, S.A. (“MGM Grand Paradise”), the Macau company that owns and operates the MGM Macau and MGM Cotai casino resorts and the related gaming subconcession and land concessions. We believe our ownership interest in MGM China plays an important role in extending our reach internationally and will foster future growth and profitability. Macau is the world’s largest gaming destination in terms of revenue and we expect future growth in the Asian gaming market to drive additional visitation at MGM Macau and MGM Cotai.

 

Our current MGM China operations relate to MGM Macau and MGM Cotai, discussed further below. MGM China’s revenues are generated primarily from gaming operations which are conducted under a gaming subconcession held by MGM Grand Paradise. The Macau government has granted three gaming concessions and each of these concessionaires has granted a subconcession. The MGM Grand Paradise gaming subconcession was granted by Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, S.A., and expires in 2020. The Macau government currently prohibits additional concessions and subconcessions, but does not place a limit on the number of casinos or

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gaming areas operated by the concessionaires and subconcessionaires, though additional casinos require government approval prior to commencing operations.

 

Corporate and Other

 

We have additional business activities including our investments in unconsolidated affiliates, and certain other corporate and management operations, including MGP’s Northfield. CityCenter Holdings, LLC (“CityCenter”) is our most significant unconsolidated affiliate, which we also manage for a fee.

 

Our Operating Resorts

 

We have provided certain information below about our resorts as of December 31, 2018. Except as otherwise indicated, we own and operate the resorts shown below.

 

 

 

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More detailed information about each of our operating resorts can be found in Exhibit 99.1 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which Exhibit is incorporated herein by reference.  

 

Customers and Competition

 

Our casino resorts operate in highly competitive environments. We compete against gaming companies, as well as other hospitality companies in the markets in which we operate, neighboring markets, and in other parts of the world, including non-gaming resort destinations such as Hawaii. Our gaming operations compete to a lesser extent with state-sponsored lotteries, off-track wagering, card parlors, online gambling and other forms of legalized gaming in the United States and internationally. For further discussion of the potential impact of competitive conditions on our business, see “Risk Factors — Risks Related to our Business.” We face significant competition with respect to destination travel locations generally and with respect to our peers in the industries in which we compete, and failure to compete effectively could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.”

 

Our primary methods of successful competition include:

 

Las Vegas Strip Resorts and Regional Operations

 

Our customers include premium gaming customers; leisure and wholesale travel customers; business travelers, and group customers, including conventions, trade associations, and small meetings. We have a complete portfolio of resorts which appeal to the upper end of each market segment and also cater to leisure and value-oriented tour and travel customers. Many of our resorts have significant convention and meeting space which we utilize to drive business to our resorts during mid-week and off-peak periods.

 

Our Las Vegas casino resorts compete for customers with a large number of other hotel casinos in the Las Vegas area, including major hotel casinos on or near the Las Vegas Strip, major hotel casinos in the downtown area, which is about five miles from the center of the Las Vegas Strip, and several major hotel casinos elsewhere in the Las Vegas area. Our Las Vegas Strip Resorts also compete, in part, with each other. Major competitors, including new entrants, have either recently expanded their hotel room capacity or have plans to expand their capacity or construct new resorts in Las Vegas. Also, the growth of gaming in areas outside Las Vegas has increased the competition faced by our operations in Las Vegas.

 

Outside Nevada, our resorts primarily compete with other hotel casinos in their markets and for customers in surrounding regional gaming markets, where location is a critical factor to success. In addition, we compete with gaming operations in surrounding jurisdictions and other leisure destinations in each region.

 

MGM China

 

The three primary customer bases in the Macau gaming market are VIP casino gaming operations, main floor gaming operations and slot machine operations. VIP gaming play is sourced both internally and externally. Externally sourced VIP gaming play is obtained through external gaming promoters who offer VIP players various services, such as extension of credit as well as complimentary hotel, food and beverage services. Gaming promoters are compensated through payment of revenue-sharing arrangements and rolling chip turnover-based commissions. In-house VIP players also typically receive a commission based on the program in which they participate. Unlike gaming promoters and in-house VIP players, main floor players do not receive commissions. The profit contribution from the main floor segment exceeds the VIP segment due to commission costs paid to gaming promoters. Gaming revenues from the main gaming floors have grown significantly in recent years and we believe this customer base represents the most potential for sustainable growth in the future. To target premium main floor players in order to grow revenue and improve yield, we have introduced premium gaming lounges and stadium-style electronic table games terminals, which include both table games and slots, to the main floor gaming area. The amenities create a dedicated exclusive gaming space for the use of premium main floor players.  

VIP gaming at MGM China is conducted by the use of special purpose nonnegotiable gaming chips. Gaming promoters purchase these nonnegotiable chips and in turn they sell these chips to their players. The nonnegotiable chips allow us to track the

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amount of wagering conducted by each gaming promoters’ clients in order to determine VIP gaming play. Gaming promoter commissions are based on a percentage of the gross table games win or a percentage of the table games turnover they generate. They also receive a complimentary allowance based on a percentage of the table games turnover they generate, which can be applied to hotel rooms, food and beverage and other discretionary customers-related expenses. Gaming promoter commissions are recorded as a reduction of casino revenue. In-house VIP commissions are based on a percentage of rolling chip turnover and are recorded as a reduction of casino revenue.

 

Our key competitors in Macau include five other gaming concessionaires and subconcessionaires. If the Macau government were to grant additional concessions or subconcessions, we would face additional competition which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Additionally, we face competition at our Macau and Cotai properties from concessionaires who have expanded their operations, primarily on the Cotai Strip.

 

We encounter competition from major gaming centers located in other areas of Asia and around the world, including Singapore, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Russia, cruise ships in Asia that offer gaming and from unlicensed gaming operations in the region.

 

Marketing

 

Our marketing efforts are conducted through various means, including our loyalty programs. We advertise on radio, television, internet and billboards and in newspapers and magazines in selected cities throughout the United States and overseas, as well as by direct mail, email and through the use of social media. We also advertise through our regional marketing offices located in major U.S. and foreign cities. Our direct marketing efforts utilize advanced analytic techniques that identify customer preferences and help predict future customer behavior, allowing us to make more relevant offers to customers, influence incremental visits, and help build lasting customer relationships. 

 

M life Rewards, our customer loyalty program, is a tiered program and allows customers to qualify for benefits across our participating resorts and in both gaming and non-gaming areas, encouraging customers to keep their total spend within our casino resorts. We also offer the Golden Lion Club for gaming focused customers, in addition to M life Rewards, at MGM China. The structured rewards systems based on member value and tier level ensure that customers can progressively access the full range of services that the resorts provide. Our loyalty programs focus on building a rewarding relationship with our customers, encouraging members to increase both visitation and spend.

 

Strategy

 

We strive to be the recognized global leader in entertainment and hospitality, embracing innovation and diversity to inspire excellence. The quality of our resorts and amenities can be measured by our success in winning numerous awards, both domestic and globally, including several Four and Five Diamond designations from the American Automobile Association as well as multiple Four and Five Star designations from Forbes Travel Guide, as well as numerous certifications of our Corporate Social Responsibility efforts.

 

Our strategic objectives include:

 

Technology

 

Collectively we utilize various types of technology to maximize revenue, drive efficiency in our operations, and serve our customers more effectively. Information Technology continues to automate operations in an effort to control costs related to operations and implement leading edge solutions for all major lines of business. To aid this process, data and analytics are utilized to support making timely and accurate business decisions. A cloud first strategy is applied when possible to enable our technology solution delivery and speed to market. We are also focused on technology to enhance the guest experience. For example, our eCommerce platform provides our guests and business partners a premier digital experience where they have the ability to create an

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all-inclusive experience from accommodations to dining and entertainment with real time recommendations provided based on the preference.

 

Employees and Management

 

We believe that knowledgeable, friendly and dedicated employees are a primary success factor in the hospitality industry. Therefore, we invest heavily in recruiting, training, motivating and retaining exceptional employees, and we seek to hire and promote the strongest management team possible. We have numerous programs, both at the corporate and business unit level, designed to achieve these objectives. We believe our internal development programs, such as the MGM Resorts University and various leadership and management training programs, are best in class among our industry peers.

 

Corporate Social Responsibility

 

We believe that profitability and social responsibility can be linked for long-term sustainability and profitability in furtherance of value to all our stakeholders – our shareholders, our employees, our customers and our communities. Whether we refer to our philosophy as Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) or associated Environmental and Social Governance (“ESG”) metrics, we strive to further two fundamental principles ‒ ethical, legal conduct in the way we conduct our business, and integration of social responsibility as a distinct, strategic discipline into the fabric of our culture and sustainable business operations.  

 

Through investment of many years of dedicated effort and resources, our evolving CSR approaches – grounded in prudent fiscal management and long-term focused strategies – have advanced us beyond leadership in the gaming and hospitality industry to national recognition for our accomplishments.

 

Our core values of integrity, inclusion, teamwork and excellence shape our character and culture, the way we do business, and our CSR practices.  Four strategic pillars guide our work.

 

Fostering diversity and inclusion. Our commitment to inclusion translates diversity as a fundamental paradigm of the 21st century global economy into long-term human capital leadership, customer market expansion and competitive business advantage.  Inclusion is an important, multi-dimensional business imperative that attracts top talent; drives our culture of respect for humanity; leverages the broad diversity of our employees’ talents to drive excellence in collaboration, innovation and financial performance; fuels expansion of our customer markets and supply chain; and forges stronger ties with our communities around the world.

 

Investing in community.  The communities in which we operate, and our employees live, work and care for their families, are cornerstones of our business and our CSR system.  We create economic opportunity for local residents, collaborate to promote educational and develop skills of local workforces, engage local businesses, and stimulate economic development in our communities.  We promote responsible gaming practices and tools, such as GameSense, that keep gaming safe and entertaining.  Beyond our tax support of public education, infrastructure and services, we make philanthropic and development-related investments in long-term institutions that benefit our employees and customers and elevate the quality of life and culture in our communities.

 

Caring for one another.  We believe caring for less fortunate community neighbors is a deep-rooted part of our culture, and our actions help uplift the communities in which we operate, while simultaneously instilling employee pride and engagement in our business. Through three primary channels – our employee-driven MGM Resorts Foundation, our Employee Volunteer Program and our Corporate Giving Program, we contribute leadership, funding and manpower to an extensive array of nonprofit organizations that provide services, goods and resources indispensable to our communities’ well-being, development and stability.  Significantly, in 2018, our U.S. employees invested more than 123,000 hours of voluntary service with community non-profits and achieved a 71% participation level in giving through our MGM Resorts Foundation.    

 

Environmental sustainability. We continue to gain recognition for our comprehensive environmental responsibility initiatives in energy and water conservation, recycling and waste management, sustainable supply chain and green construction. Certain of our casino resorts in Nevada and our casino resort in Michigan were the first in each state to earn certification from Green Key, one of the largest international programs evaluating environmental sustainability in hotel operations. We received certifications at all of our domestic resorts and Aria and Vdara at CityCenter. Aria, Vdara, Bellagio, Delano, Mandalay Bay, and MGM Grand Detroit have all received “Five Green Key,” the highest possible rating. Many major travel service providers recognize the Green Key designation and identify our resorts for their continued commitment to sustainable hotel operations. 

 

In addition, we believe that incorporating the tenets of environmental sustainability in our business decisions advances a platform for innovation and operational efficiency. CityCenter (Aria, Vdara and Veer) is one of the world’s largest private sustainable developments. With six LEED^® Gold certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council (the “Council”), CityCenter serves as the

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standard for combining luxury and environmental responsibility within the large-scale hospitality industry. Also, MGM National Harbor, The Park, and T-Mobile Arena have all been awarded LEED^® Gold certification by the Council.

 

At MGM China, we incorporate the same commitment to environmental preservation. Our efforts to improve energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and environmental stewardship have resulted in MGM China being included in the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Benchmark Index on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. MGM Cotai has achieved the China Green Building (Macau) Design label from the China Green Building and Energy Saving (Macau) Association.

 

Development and Leveraging Our Brand and Management Assets

 

In allocating resources, our financial strategy is focused on managing a proper mix of investing in existing resorts, spending on strategic developments or initiatives and repaying long-term debt or returning capital to shareholders. We believe there are reasonable investments for us to make in new initiatives and at our current resorts that will provide profitable returns.

 

We regularly evaluate possible expansion and acquisition opportunities in domestic and international markets. Opportunities we evaluate may include the ownership, management and operation of gaming and other entertainment facilities in Nevada, or in states other than Nevada, or outside of the United States, accessing new markets for sports and interactive, as well as online gaming. We leverage our management expertise and well-recognized brands through strategic partnerships and international expansion opportunities. We feel that several of our brands are well-suited to new projects in both gaming and non-gaming developments. We may undertake these opportunities either alone or in cooperation with one or more third parties.

 

During 2018, we entered into an agreement with GVC Holdings PLC to form Roar Digital LLC, a world-class sports betting and online gaming platform in the United States. The 50/50 venture will be capitalized with initial commitments of $100 million per partner. Under the agreement, the venture will benefit from the economics of our existing race and sports books and online gaming operations and will have exclusive access to certain U.S. land-based and online sports betting, online real money and free-to-play casino gaming, major tournament and online poker, and other similar future interactive businesses. The commencement of operations is subject to gaming regulatory approvals.

 

Intellectual Property

 

Our principal intellectual property consists of trademarks for, among others, Bellagio, The Mirage, Borgata, Mandalay Bay, MGM, MGM Grand, MGM Resorts International, Luxor, Excalibur, New York-New York, Circus Circus, Beau Rivage and Empire City, all of which have been registered or allowed in various classes in the United States. In addition, we have also registered or applied to register numerous other trademarks in connection with our properties, facilities and development projects in the United States and in various other foreign jurisdictions. These trademarks are brand names under which we market our properties and services. We consider these brand names to be important to our business since they have the effect of developing brand identification. We believe that the name recognition, reputation and image that we have developed attract customers to our facilities. Once granted, our trademark registrations are of perpetual duration so long as they are used and periodically renewed. It is our intent to pursue and maintain our trademark registrations consistent with our goals for brand development and identification, and enforcement of our trademark rights.

 

Employees and Labor Relations

 

As of December 31, 2018, we had approximately 55,000 full-time and 17,000 part-time employees domestically, of which approximately 6,000 and 3,000, respectively, support the Company’s management agreements with CityCenter. In addition, we had approximately 11,000 employees at MGM China. We had collective bargaining agreements with unions covering approximately 39,000 of our employees as of December 31, 2018. Collective bargaining agreements with three unions covering a substantial number of our employees in Las Vegas are scheduled to expire in the first half of 2019. We anticipate negotiations for successor contracts with all three of those unions will begin in the first quarter of 2019. In addition, in our regional properties, new collective bargaining agreements will be negotiated in 2019 at MGM National Harbor and MGM Springfield. As of December 31, 2018, none of the employees of MGM China are part of a labor union and the resorts are not party to any collective bargaining agreements. In January 2019, we acquired operations in New York that employ approximately 1,000 employees, a portion of which are covered by collective bargaining agreements. We anticipate several of these agreements will be negotiated in 2019. Also, in July 2018, MGP acquired its property in Northfield, Ohio, which continues to be operated (on behalf of MGP) by an affiliate of Hard Rock International (STP), Inc. MGM expects to acquire these operations in the first half of 2019, subject to certain customary closing conditions. The Ohio operation has employees covered by collective bargaining agreements, several of which we anticipate will be negotiated in 2019.

 

Regulation and Licensing

 

The gaming industry is highly regulated, and we must maintain our licenses and pay gaming taxes to continue our operations. Each of our casinos is subject to extensive regulation under the laws, rules and regulations of the jurisdiction in which it is located.

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These laws, rules and regulations generally concern the responsibility, financial stability and character of the owners, managers, and persons with financial interest in the gaming operations. Violations of laws in one jurisdiction could result in disciplinary action in other jurisdictions.  

 

A more detailed description of the gaming regulations to which we are subject is contained in Exhibit 99.2 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, which Exhibit is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Our businesses are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations affecting businesses in general. These laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, restrictions and conditions concerning alcoholic beverages, smoking, employees, currency transactions, taxation, zoning and building codes (including regulations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires all public accommodations to meet certain federal requirements related to access and use by persons with disabilities), construction, land use and marketing and advertising. We also deal with significant amounts of cash in our operations and are subject to various reporting and anti-money laundering regulations. Such laws and regulations could change or could be interpreted differently in the future, or new laws and regulations could be enacted. Material changes, new laws or regulations, or material differences in interpretations by courts or governmental authorities could adversely affect our operating results.

 

In addition, we are subject to certain federal, state and local environmental laws, regulations and ordinances, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Under various federal, state and local laws and regulations, an owner or operator of real property may be held liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances or wastes located on its property, regardless of whether or not the present owner or operator knows of, or is responsible for, the presence of such substances or wastes. We have not identified any issues associated with our properties that could reasonably be expected to have an adverse effect on us or the results of our operations.

 

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Form 10-K and our 2018 Annual Report to Stockholders contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “will,” “may” and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding expected market growth in Macau, our ability to generate significant cash flow and execute on ongoing and future projects, such as MGM 2020, and the expected results of MGM 2020, amounts we will spend in capital expenditures and investments, the opening of strategic resort developments, the estimated costs and components associated with those developments, our expectations with respect to future cash dividends on our common stock, dividends and distributions we will receive from MGM China, the Operating Partnership or CityCenter and amounts projected to be realized as deferred tax assets. The foregoing is not a complete list of all forward-looking statements we make.

 

Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance. Therefore, we caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, regional, national or global political, economic, business, competitive, market, and regulatory conditions and the following:

 

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Any forward-looking statement made by us in this Form 10-K or our 2018 Annual Report to Stockholders speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be made that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

 

You should also be aware that while we from time to time communicate with securities analysts, we do not disclose to them any material non-public information, internal forecasts or other confidential business information. Therefore, you should not assume that we agree with any statement or report issued by any analyst, irrespective of the content of the statement or report. To the extent that reports issued by securities analysts contain projections, forecasts or opinions, those reports are not our responsibility and are not endorsed by us.  

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Executive Officers of the Registrant

 

The following table sets forth, as of February 27, 2019, the name, age and position of each of our executive officers. Executive officers are elected by and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.

 

 

Mr. Murren has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since December 2008 and as President from December 1999 to December 2012. He served as Chief Operating Officer from August 2007 through December 2008. He was Chief Financial Officer from January 1998 to August 2007 and Treasurer from November 2001 to August 2007.

 

Mr. Hornbuckle has served as President since December 2012 and as Chief Customer Development Officer since December 2018. He served as Chief Marketing Officer from August 2009 to August 2014 and President and Chief Operating Officer of Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino from April 2005 to August 2009.

 

Mr. Sanders has served as Chief Operating Officer since September 2010. He served as Chief Operating Officer for the Company’s Core Brand and Regional Properties from August 2009 to September 2010, as Executive Vice President—Operations from August 2007 to August 2009, as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for MGM Grand Resorts from April 2005 to August 2007.

 

Mr. D’Arrigo has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since August 2007 and as Treasurer since November 2018 and from September 2009 to June 2016. He served as Senior Vice President—Finance of the Company from February 2005 to August 2007 and as Vice President—Finance of the Company from December 2000 to February 2005.

 

Ms. James has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity and Corporate Responsibility Officer since October 2016. Her role as Chief Diversity Officer began in 2009. She served as Executive Vice President and Special Counsel—Litigation from July 2010 to October 2016. She served as Senior Vice President, Senior Counsel and then Deputy General Counsel of the Company from March 2002 to July 2010.

 

Mr. McManus has served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since July 2010. He served as Senior Vice President, Acting General Counsel and Secretary of the Company from December 2009 to July 2010. He served as Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Secretary from September 2009 to December 2009. He served as Senior Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the Company from July 2008 to September 2009. He served as counsel to various operating subsidiaries from May 2001 to July 2008.

 

Mr. Selwood has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer since August 2007. He served as Senior Vice President—Accounting of the Company from February 2005 to August 2007 and as Vice President—Accounting of the Company from December 2000 to February 2005.

 

Available Information

 

We maintain a website at www.mgmresorts.com that includes financial and other information for investors. We provide access to our SEC filings, including our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (including related filings in XBRL format), filed and furnished current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports on our website, free of charge, through a link to the SEC’s EDGAR database. Through that link, our filings are available as soon as reasonably practicable after we file or furnish the documents with the SEC. These filings are also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

Because of the time differences between Macau and the United States, we also use our corporate website as a means of posting important information about MGM China.

 

References in this document to our website address do not incorporate by reference the information contained on the websites into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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You should be aware that the occurrence of any of the events described in this section and elsewhere in this report or in any other of our filings with the SEC could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. In evaluating us, you should consider carefully, among other things, the risks described below.

 

Risks Relating to Our Substantial Indebtedness

 

 

In addition, our substantial indebtedness and significant financial commitments could have important negative consequences on us, including:

 

 

Moreover, our businesses are capital intensive. For our owned, leased and managed resorts to remain attractive and competitive, we must periodically invest significant capital to keep the properties well-maintained, modernized and refurbished (and, under the master lease we are required to spend an aggregate amount of at least 1% of actual adjusted net revenues from the properties subject to the master lease on capital expenditures at those properties). Such investments require an ongoing supply of cash and, to the extent that we cannot fund expenditures from cash generated by operations, funds must be borrowed or otherwise obtained. Similarly, development projects, including any potential future development of an integrated resort in Japan, and acquisitions could require significant capital commitments, the incurrence of additional debt, guarantees of third-party debt, or the incurrence of contingent liabilities, any or all of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

 

We have a significant amount of indebtedness maturing in 2020, and thereafter. Our ability to timely refinance and replace our indebtedness in the future will depend upon the economic and credit market conditions discussed above. If we are unable to refinance our indebtedness on a timely basis, we might be forced to seek alternate forms of financing, dispose of certain assets or minimize capital expenditures and other investments. There is no assurance that any of these alternatives would be available to us, if at all, on satisfactory terms, on terms that would not be disadvantageous to us, or on terms that would not require us to breach the terms and conditions of our existing or future debt agreements.

 

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Our ability to comply with these provisions may be affected by events beyond our control. The breach of any such covenants or obligations not otherwise waived or cured could result in a default under the applicable debt obligations and could trigger acceleration of those obligations, which in turn could trigger cross-defaults under other agreements governing our long-term indebtedness. In addition, our senior secured credit facility requires us to satisfy certain financial covenants, including a maximum total net leverage ratio, a maximum first lien net leverage ratio and a minimum interest coverage ratio. Any default under our senior secured credit facility or the indentures governing our other debt could adversely affect our growth, our financial condition, our results of operations and our ability to make payments on our debt.

 

In addition, MGM Grand Paradise and MGM China are co-borrowers under an amended and restated credit facility and the Operating Partnership is a borrower under its senior secured credit facility, all of which contain covenants that restrict the respective borrower’s ability to engage in certain transactions. In particular, these credit agreements require MGM China and the Operating Partnership to satisfy certain financial covenants and impose certain operating and financial restrictions on them and their respective subsidiaries (including, with respect to MGM China, MGM Grand Paradise). These restrictions include, among other things, limitations on their ability to pay dividends or distributions to us, incur additional debt, make investments or engage in other businesses, merge or consolidate with other companies, or transfer or sell assets.

 

 

 

Any of the above factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Risks Related to our Business

 

 

In addition, competition could increase if changes in gaming restrictions in the United States and elsewhere result in the addition of new gaming establishments located closer to our customers than our casinos. For example, while our Macau operations compete to some extent with casinos located elsewhere in or near Asia, certain countries in the region have legalized casino gaming (including Japan) and others (such as Taiwan and Thailand) may legalize casino gaming (or online gaming) in the future (including, for example, a recent proposal by China to allow gambling on Hainan Island). Furthermore, currently MGM Grand Paradise holds one of only six gaming concessions authorized by the Macau government to operate casinos in Macau. If the Macau government were to allow additional competitors to operate in Macau through the grant of additional concessions or if current concessionaires and subconcessionaires open additional facilities, we would face increased competition.  

 

Most jurisdictions where casino gaming is currently permitted place numerical and/or geographical limitations on the issuance of new gaming licenses. Although a number of jurisdictions in the United States and foreign countries are considering legalizing or expanding casino gaming, in some cases new gaming operations may be restricted to specific locations and we expect that there will be intense competition for any attractive new opportunities (which may include acquisitions of existing properties) that do arise. Furthermore, certain jurisdictions, including Nevada and New Jersey, have also legalized forms of online gaming and other jurisdictions, including Illinois, have legalized video gaming terminals. Additionally, in May 2018, the United States Supreme Court overturned a federal ban on sports betting that had prohibited single-game gambling in most states, raising the potential for increased competition in sports betting should additional states pass legislation to legalize it.  The expansion of online gaming, sports betting, and other types of gaming in these and other jurisdictions may further compete with our operations by reducing customer visitation and spend in our casino resorts.

 

In addition to competition with other hotels, resorts and casinos, we compete with destination travel locations outside of the markets in which we operate. Our failure to compete successfully in our various markets and to continue to attract customers could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flow.

 

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Further, our directors, officers, key employees and investors in our properties must meet approval standards of certain state and foreign regulatory authorities. If state regulatory authorities were to find such a person or investor unsuitable, we would be required to sever our relationship with that person or the investor may be required to dispose of his, her or its interest in the property. State regulatory agencies may conduct investigations into the conduct or associations of our directors, officers, key employees or investors to ensure compliance with applicable standards. Certain public and private issuances of securities and other transactions also require the approval of certain regulatory authorities.

 

In Macau, current laws and regulations concerning gaming and gaming concessions are, for the most part, fairly recent and there is little precedent on the interpretation of these laws and regulations. These laws and regulations are complex, and a court or administrative or regulatory body may in the future render an interpretation of these laws and regulations, or issue new or modified regulations, that differ from MGM China’s interpretation, which could have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, MGM China’s activities in Macau are subject to administrative review and approval by various government agencies. We cannot assure you that MGM China will be able to obtain all necessary approvals, and any such failure to do so may materially affect its long-term business strategy and operations. Macau laws permit redress to the courts with respect to administrative actions; however, to date such redress is largely untested in relation to gaming issues.

 

In addition to gaming regulations, we are also subject to various federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations affecting businesses in general. These laws and regulations include, but are not limited to, restrictions and conditions concerning alcoholic beverages, environmental matters, smoking, employees, currency transactions, taxation, zoning and building codes, and marketing and advertising. For instance, we are subject to certain federal, state and local environmental laws, regulations and ordinances, including the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Resource Conservation Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. Under various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations, an owner or operator of real property may be held liable for the costs of removal or remediation of certain hazardous or toxic substances or wastes located on its property, regardless of whether or not the present owner or operator knows of, or is responsible for, the presence of such substances or wastes. Such laws and regulations could change or could be interpreted differently in the future, or new laws and regulations could be enacted. For example, Illinois has enacted a ban on smoking in nearly all public places, including bars, restaurants, work places, schools and casinos. In addition, effective January 1, 2019, smoking in casinos in Macau, including MGM Macau and MGM Cotai, will only be permitted inside specially ventilated smoking rooms, rather than outside smoking areas or VIP areas. The likelihood or outcome of similar legislation in other jurisdictions and referendums in the future cannot be predicted, though any smoking ban would be expected to negatively impact our financial performance.

 

We also deal with significant amounts of cash in our operations and are subject to recordkeeping and reporting obligations as required by various anti-money laundering laws and regulations. For instance, we are subject to regulation under the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, commonly known as the “Bank Secrecy Act,” which, among other things, requires us to report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) any currency transactions in excess of $10,000 that occur within a 24-hour gaming day, including identification of the individual(s) involved in the currency transaction. We are also required to report certain suspicious activity where we know, suspect or have reason to suspect transactions, among other things, involve funds from illegal activity or are intended to evade federal regulations or avoid reporting requirements or have no business or lawful purpose. In addition, under the Bank Secrecy Act we are subject to various other rules and regulations involving reporting, recordkeeping and retention. Our compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act is subject to periodic examinations by the IRS. Any such laws and regulations could change or could be interpreted differently in the future, or new laws and regulations could be enacted. Any violations of the anti-money laundering laws, including the Bank Secrecy Act, or regulations by any of our properties could have an adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

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In addition, since we expect a significant number of customers to come to MGM Macau and MGM Cotai from mainland China, general economic and market conditions in China could impact our financial prospects. Any slowdown in economic growth or changes to China’s current restrictions on travel and currency conversion or movements, including market impacts resulting from China’s recent anti-corruption campaign and related tightening of liquidity provided by non-bank lending entities and cross-border currency monitoring (including increased restrictions on Union Pay withdrawals and other ATM limits on the withdrawal of patacas imposed by the government), could disrupt the number of visitors from mainland China and/or the amounts they are willing to spend in the casino. Most recently, in July 2017, the Chinese government, along with Macau authorities, implemented new facial recognition technology on ATM machines in Macau to strictly enforce the “know your customer” regulations for mainland Chinese bank cardholders and in November 2017 new rules were adopted to control the cross-border transportation of cash and bearer negotiable instruments. It is unclear whether these and other measures will continue to be in effect, become more restrictive, or be readopted in the future. These developments have had, and any future policy developments that may be implemented may have, the effect of reducing the number of visitors to Macau from mainland China, which could adversely impact tourism and the gaming industry in Macau.

Furthermore, our operations in Macau may be impacted by competition for limited labor resources. Our success in Macau will be impacted by our ability to retain and hire employees. We compete with a large number of casino resorts for a limited number of employees and we anticipate that such competition will grow in light of new developments in Macau. While we seek employees from other countries to adequately staff our resorts, certain Macau government policies limit our ability to import labor in certain job classifications (for instance, the Macau government requires that we only hire Macau residents as dealers in our casinos) and any future government policies that freeze or cancel our ability to import labor could cause labor costs to increase. Finally, because additional casino projects have commenced operations and other projects are under construction, existing transportation infrastructure may need to be expanded to accommodate increased visitation to Macau. If transportation facilities to and from Macau are inadequate to meet the demands of an increased volume of gaming customers visiting Macau, the desirability of Macau as a gaming destination, as well as the results of operations at our development in Cotai, Macau, could be negatively impacted.

 

 

 

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MGP’s operating agreement, however, provides that whenever a potential conflict of interest exists or arises between us or any of our affiliates (other than MGP and its subsidiaries), on the one hand, and MGP or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand, any resolution or course of action by MGP’s board of directors in respect of such conflict of interest shall be conclusively deemed to be fair and reasonable to MGP if it is (i) approved by a majority of a conflicts committee which consists solely of “independent” directors (which MGP refers to as “Special Approval”) (such independence determined in accordance with the NYSE’s listing standards, the standards established by the Exchange Act to serve on an audit committee of a board of directors and certain additional independence requirements in our operating agreement), (ii) determined by MGP’s board of directors to be fair and reasonable to MGP or (iii) approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of MGP’s outstanding voting shares (excluding voting shares owned by us and our affiliates). Furthermore, MGP’s operating agreement provides that any transaction with a value, individually or in

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the aggregate, over $25 million between us or any of our affiliates (other than MGP and its subsidiaries), on the one hand, and MGP or any of its subsidiaries, on the other hand (any such transaction (other than the exercise of rights by us or any of our affiliates (other than MGP and its subsidiaries) under any of the material agreements entered into on the closing day of MGP’s formation transactions), a “Threshold Transaction”), shall be permitted only if (i) Special Approval is obtained or (ii) such transaction is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of MGP’s outstanding voting shares (excluding voting shares owned by us and our affiliates).

 

As a result, certain transactions, including any Threshold Transactions that we may want to pursue with MGP and that could have significant benefit to us may require Special Approval. There can be no assurance that the required approval will be obtained with respect to these transactions either from a conflicts committee comprised of independent MGP directors or the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares not held by us and our affiliates. The failure to obtain such requisite consent could materially affect our ability and the cost to execute our operational and strategic objectives.

 

 

 

Furthermore, under the subconcession contract, MGM Grand Paradise is obligated to comply with any laws and regulations that the Macau government might promulgate in the future. We cannot assure you that MGM Grand Paradise will be able to comply with these laws and regulations or that these laws and regulations would not adversely affect our ability to construct or operate our Macau businesses. If any disagreement arises between MGM Grand Paradise and the Macau government regarding the interpretation of, or MGM Grand Paradise’s compliance with, a provision of the subconcession contract, MGM Grand Paradise will be relying on a consultation and negotiation process with the Macau government. During any consultation or negotiation, MGM Grand Paradise will be obligated to comply with the terms of the subconcession contract as interpreted by the Macau government. Currently, there is no precedent concerning how the Macau government will treat the termination of a concession or subconcession upon the occurrence of any of the circumstances mentioned above. The loss of the subconcession would require us to cease conducting gaming operations in Macau, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

 

In addition, the subconcession contract expires on March 31, 2020. Unless the subconcession is extended, or legislation with regard to reversion of casino premises is amended, all of MGM Grand Paradise’s casino premises and gaming-related equipment will automatically be transferred to the Macau government on that date without compensation to us, and we will cease to generate any revenues from such gaming operations. Beginning on April 20, 2017, the Macau government may redeem the subconcession contract by providing us at least one year’s prior notice. In the event the Macau government exercises this redemption right, MGM Grand Paradise is entitled to fair compensation or indemnity. The amount of such compensation or indemnity will be determined based on the amount of gaming and non-gaming revenue generated by MGM Grand Paradise, excluding the convention and exhibition facilities, during the taxable year prior to the redemption, before deducting interest, depreciation and amortization, multiplied by the number of remaining years before expiration of the subconcession. We cannot assure you that MGM Grand Paradise will be able to renew or extend the subconcession contract on terms favorable to MGM Grand Paradise or at all. We also cannot assure you that if the subconcession is redeemed, the compensation paid to MGM Grand Paradise will be adequate to compensate for the loss of future revenues.

 

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In addition, the quality of gaming promoters is important to MGM Grand Paradise’s and our reputation and ability to continue to operate in compliance with gaming licenses. While MGM Grand Paradise strives for excellence in associations with gaming promoters, we cannot assure you that the gaming promoters with whom MGM Grand Paradise is or becomes associated will meet the high standards insisted upon. If a gaming promoter falls below MGM Grand Paradise’s standards, MGM Grand Paradise or we may suffer reputational harm or possibly sanctions from gaming regulators with authority over our operations.

 

We also grant credit lines to certain gaming promoters and any adverse change in the financial performance of those gaming promoters may impact the recoverability of these loans.

 

 

 

 

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While gaming debts evidenced by markers and judgments on gaming debts are enforceable under the current laws of Nevada, and Nevada judgments on gaming debts are enforceable in all states under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution, other jurisdictions may determine that enforcement of gaming debts is against public policy. Although courts of some foreign nations will enforce gaming debts directly and the assets in the U.S. of foreign debtors may be reached to satisfy a judgment, judgments on gaming debts from United States courts are not binding on the courts of many foreign nations.

 

Furthermore, we expect that MGM China will be able to enforce its gaming debts only in a limited number of jurisdictions, including Macau. To the extent MGM China gaming customers and gaming promoters are from other jurisdictions, MGM China may not have access to a forum in which it will be able to collect all of its gaming receivables because, among other reasons, courts of many jurisdictions do not enforce gaming debts and MGM China may encounter forums that will refuse to enforce such debts. Moreover, under applicable law, MGM China remains obligated to pay taxes on uncollectible winnings from customers.

 

Even where gaming debts are enforceable, they may not be collectible. Our inability to collect gaming debts could have a significant negative impact on our operating results.

 

 

 

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For instance, CityCenter, which is 50% owned and managed by us, has a significant amount of indebtedness, which could adversely affect its business and its ability to meet its obligations. If CityCenter is unable to meet its financial commitments and we and our co-investor are unable to support future funding requirements, as necessary, such event could have adverse financial consequences to us. In addition, the agreements governing CityCenter’s indebtedness subject CityCenter and its subsidiaries to significant financial and other restrictive covenants, including restrictions on its ability to incur additional indebtedness, place liens upon assets, make distributions to us, make certain investments, consummate certain asset sales, enter into transactions with affiliates (including us) and merge or consolidate with any other person or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets. The CityCenter credit facility also includes certain financial covenants that require CityCenter to maintain a maximum total net leverage ratio (as defined in CityCenter’s credit facility) for each quarter. We cannot be sure that CityCenter will be able to meet this test in the future or that the lenders will waive any failure to meet the test.

 

 

Any of our future construction, development or expansion projects will be subject to a number of risks, including:

 

 

The occurrence of any of these development and construction risks could increase the total costs, delay or prevent the construction, development, expansion or opening or otherwise affect the design and features of any future projects which we might undertake. In addition, the regulatory approvals associated with our development projects may require us to open future casino resorts by a certain specified time and to the extent we are unable to meet those deadlines, and any such deadlines are not extended, we may lose our regulatory approval to open a casino resort in a proposed jurisdiction, or incur payment penalties in connection with any delays which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

 

We also make significant capital expenditures to maintain and upgrade our resorts, which may disrupt operations and displace revenue at the properties, including revenue lost while rooms, restaurants and meeting spaces are under renovation and out of service.

 

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In addition to the damage caused to our properties by a casualty loss, we may suffer business disruption as a result of these events or be subject to claims by third parties that may be injured or harmed. While we carry business interruption insurance and general liability insurance, this insurance may not be adequate to cover all losses in any such event.

 

We renew our insurance policies (other than our builder’s risk insurance) on an annual basis. The cost of coverage may become so high that we may need to further reduce our policy limits, further increase our deductibles, or agree to certain exclusions from our coverage.

 

 

 

 

These risks, individually or in the aggregate, could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

 

We are also exposed to a variety of market risks, including the effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates. If the United States dollar strengthens in relation to the currencies of other countries, our United States dollar reported income from sources where revenue is denominated in the currencies of other such countries will decrease.

 

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Compliance with applicable privacy laws and regulations may increase our operating costs and/or adversely impact our ability to market our products, properties and services to our guests. In addition, non-compliance with applicable privacy laws and regulations by us (or in some circumstances non-compliance by third parties engaged by us), including accidental loss, inadvertent disclosure, unapproved dissemination or a breach of security on systems storing our data may result in damage to our reputation and/or subject us to fines, payment of damages, lawsuits or restrictions on our use or transfer of data. We rely on proprietary and commercially available systems, software, and tools to provide security for processing of customer and employee information, such as payment card and other confidential or proprietary information. Our data security measures are reviewed and evaluated regularly; however, they might not protect us against increasingly sophisticated and aggressive threats including, but not limited to, computer malware, viruses, hacking and phishing attacks by third parties. In addition, while we maintain cyber risk insurance to assist in the cost of recovery from a significant cyber event, such coverage may not be sufficient.

 

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We also rely extensively on computer systems to process transactions, maintain information and manage our businesses. Disruptions in the availability of our computer systems, through cyber-attacks or otherwise, could impact our ability to service our customers and adversely affect our sales and the results of operations. For instance, there has been an increase in criminal cyber security attacks against companies where customer and company information has been compromised and company data has been destroyed. Our information systems and data, including those we maintain with our third-party service providers, may be subject to cyber security breaches in the future. In addition, our third-party information system service providers face risks relating to cyber security similar to ours, and we do not directly control any of such parties’ information security operations. A significant theft, loss or fraudulent use of customer or company data maintained by us or by a third-party service provider could have an adverse effect on our reputation, cause a material disruption to our operations, and result in remediation expenses, regulatory penalties and litigation by customers and other parties whose information was subject to such attacks, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and cash flows.

 

 

 

 

We cannot assure you that we will be able to identify opportunities or complete transactions on commercially reasonable terms or at all, or that we will actually realize any anticipated benefits from such acquisitions, investments or alliances. In addition, even if we are able to successfully integrate new assets and businesses, the integration of such assets and businesses may result in unanticipated costs, competitive responses, loss or customer or other business relationships and the diversion of management attention.

 

In addition, we periodically review our business to identify properties or other assets that we believe either are non-core, no longer complement our business, are in markets which may not benefit us as much as other markets or could be sold at significant premiums. From time to time, we may attempt to sell these identified properties and assets. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be able to complete dispositions on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

 

 

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None.

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The location and general characteristics of our properties are provided in Part I, Item 1. Business. Our significant land holdings are described below; unless otherwise indicated, all properties are indirectly owned by us. We also own or lease various other improved and unimproved properties in Las Vegas and other locations in the United States and certain foreign countries.

 

Domestic land holdings

The following table lists certain of our domestic land holdings on a consolidated basis as of December 31, 2018, including land and ground leases held by a subsidiary of the Operating Partnership, which we lease pursuant to the terms of the master lease. 

 

 

The land and substantially all of the assets of MGM Grand Las Vegas and Bellagio secure the obligations under our senior credit facility. In addition, the senior credit facility is secured by a pledge of the equity or limited liability company interests of the subsidiaries that own MGM Grand Las Vegas and Bellagio.

 

MGM China

 

MGM Macau occupies an approximately 10-acre site and MGM Cotai occupies an approximately 18-acre site, both of which are possessed under separate land concession agreements with the Macau government. The MGM China credit facility is secured by MGM Grand Paradise’s interest in the MGM Cotai and MGM Macau land concessions, and MGM China, MGM Grand Paradise and their guarantor subsidiaries have granted a security interest in substantially all of their assets to secure the facility. The credit facility borrowings are non-recourse to us. See Note 9 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for additional discussion on long-term debt.

 

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Operating Partnership

 

Pursuant to a master lease agreement between a subsidiary of the Company and a subsidiary of the Operating Partnership (the “landlord”), the real estate assets of The Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, New York-New York, Park MGM, Excalibur, The Park, Gold Strike Tunica, MGM Grand Detroit, Beau Rivage, Borgata, and MGM National Harbor are leased from a subsidiary of the Operating Partnership. The land and substantially all of the assets of MGP’s properties including the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park, other than MGM National Harbor and Empire City, secure the obligations under the Operating Partnership’s credit agreement. These borrowings are non-recourse to us. See Note 9 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements for additional discussion on long-term debt.

 

Other than as described above, none of our properties are subject to any major encumbrance.

 

 

 

October 1 litigation. We and/or certain of our subsidiaries have been named as defendants in a number of lawsuits related to the October 1, 2017 shooting in Las Vegas. The matters involve in large degree the same legal and factual issues, each case being filed on behalf of individuals who are seeking damages for emotional distress, physical injury, medical expenses, economic damages and/or wrongful death based on assertions that we and/or certain of our subsidiaries were negligent. We also received letters from attorneys purporting to represent other persons with claims related to the October 1, 2017 shooting. Lawsuits were first filed in October 2017 and include actions filed by multiple individuals in the District Court of Clark County, Nevada and in the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, California. Some of the original actions have been voluntarily dismissed, and plaintiffs’ counsel indicate they anticipate re-filing the lawsuits in similar form. In June 2018, we removed to federal court all actions that remained pending in California and Nevada state courts following the voluntary dismissals. Motions to remand have been filed in several cases, and we anticipate that there may be additional motions to remand filed in the future. We also initiated declaratory relief actions in federal courts in various districts against individuals who had sued or stated an intent to sue. Additional lawsuits related to this incident may be filed in the future. In February of 2019, we and plaintiffs’ counsel commenced mediation of these matters.  The above-described litigation currently is stayed pending mediation.

 

We are currently unable to reliably predict the future developments in, outcome of, and economic costs and other consequences of pending or future litigation related to this matter. We will continue to investigate the factual and legal defenses, and evaluate these matters based on subsequent events, new information and future circumstances. We intend to defend against these lawsuits and ultimately believe we should prevail, but litigation of this type is inherently unpredictable. Although there are significant procedural, factual and legal issues to be resolved that could significantly affect our belief as to the possibility of liability, we currently believe that it is reasonably possible that we could incur liability in connection with certain of these lawsuits. The foregoing determination was made in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, as codified in ASC 450-20, and is not an admission of any liability on the part of us or any of our affiliates. Given that these cases are in the early stages and in light of the uncertainties surrounding them, we do not currently possess sufficient information to determine a range of reasonably possible liability. In the event we incur any liability, we believe it is unlikely we would incur losses in connection with these claims in excess of our insurance coverage. The insurance carriers have not expressed a reservation of rights or coverage defense that affects our evaluation of potential losses in connection with these claims. In addition, our general liability insurance coverage provides, as part of the contractual “duty to defend”, payment of legal fees and associated costs incurred to defend covered lawsuits that are filed arising from the October 1, 2017 shooting in Las Vegas. Payment of such fees and costs is in addition to (and not limited by) the limits of the insurance policies and does not erode the total liability coverage available.

 

Other. We are a party to various legal proceedings, most of which relate to routine matters incidental to our business. Management does not believe that the outcome of such proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

 

Not applicable.

 

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PART II

 

 

Common Stock Information

 

Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “MGM.”

 

There were approximately 3,657 record holders of our common stock as of February 22, 2019.

 

Dividend Policy

 

The Company implemented a dividend program in February 2017 pursuant to which it has paid regular quarterly dividends. The amount, declaration and payment of any future dividends will be subject to the discretion of our Board of Directors who will evaluate our dividend policy from time to time based on factors it deems relevant, and the contractual limitations described below. In addition, as a holding company with no independent operations, our ability to pay dividends will depend upon the receipt of cash from our operating subsidiaries to generate the funds from operations necessary to pay dividends on our common stock. Furthermore, our senior credit facility contains financial covenants and restrictive covenants that could restrict our ability to pay dividends, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, the Operating Partnership and MGM China credit facilities each contain limitations on the ability of the applicable subsidiary under each credit agreement to pay dividends to us. There can be no assurance that we will continue to pay dividends in the future.

 

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer

 

The following table provides information about share repurchases made by the Company of its common stock during the quarter ended December 31, 2018:

 

 

On May 10, 2018, the Company announced that its Board of Directors had adopted a $2.0 billion stock repurchase program, and that the previously announced $1.0 billion stock repurchase program had been completed. All repurchases under the stock repurchase program are made from time to time at the Company’s discretion in the open market or in privately negotiated agreements. Repurchases of common stock may also be made under a Rule 10b5-1 plan, which would permit common stock to be repurchased when the Company might otherwise be precluded from doing so under insider trading laws. Repurchases under the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. All shares repurchased by the Company during the quarter ended December 31, 2018 were purchased pursuant to the Company’s publicly announced stock repurchase programs and have been retired.

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PERFORMANCE GRAPH

 

The graph below matches our cumulative Five-Year total shareholder return on common stock with the cumulative total returns of the Dow Jones US Total Return index, the S&P 500 index and the Dow Jones US Gambling index. The graph tracks the performance of a $100 investment in our common stock and in each index (with the reinvestment of all dividends as required by the SEC) from December 31, 2013 to December 31, 2018. The return shown on the graph is not necessarily indicative of future performance.

 

The following performance graph shall not be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, nor shall this information be incorporated by reference into any future filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that we specifically incorporate it by reference into a filing.

 

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The following reflects selected historical financial data that should be read in conjunction with “Item 7 – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. The historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected in the future.

 

 

The following events/transactions affect the year-to-year comparability of the selected financial data presented above:

 

Acquisitions, Dispositions, and Significant Transactions

 

 

Other

 

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Additionally, on January 1, 2018, we adopted ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” on a full retrospective basis. Accordingly, financial data as of and for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, and the income statement data for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015, reflect such adoption.  

 

 

 

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Executive Overview

 

Our primary business is the ownership and operation of casino resorts, which offer gaming, hotel, convention, dining, entertainment, retail and other resort amenities. We own or invest in several of the finest casino resorts in the world and we continually reinvest in our resorts to maintain our competitive advantage. Most of our revenue is cash-based, through customers wagering with cash or paying for non-gaming services with cash or credit cards. We rely heavily on the ability of our resorts to generate operating cash flow to fund capital expenditures, provide excess cash flow for future development and repay debt financings. We make significant investments in our resorts through newly remodeled hotel rooms, restaurants, entertainment and nightlife offerings, as well as other new features and amenities.

 

Our results of operations are affected by decisions we make related to our capital allocation, our access to capital and our cost of capital. While we continue to be focused on improving our financial position and returning capital to shareholders, we are also dedicated to capitalizing on strategic development or initiatives.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2018, Las Vegas visitor volume decreased 0.2%, Las Vegas Strip REVPAR increased 1% and Las Vegas Strip gaming revenue increased by 2% compared to the prior year period according to information published by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Results of operations for our Las Vegas Strip Resorts during 2018 were negatively impacted by disruption related to the repositioning and rebranding of Park MGM, discussed below.

 

Our Regional Operations results are driven and affected by the increasingly competitive jurisdictions that they operate in, including the expansion of other jurisdictions that permit gaming. Results of operations at our Regional Operations were negatively affected by the opening of two casino resorts in Atlantic City, New Jersey in June 2018, which impacted Borgata’s operating results, and benefitted from the opening of MGM Springfield in August 2018, discussed below.

 

Gross gaming revenue in the Macau market increased 14% in 2018 compared to 2017, primarily as a result of growth on the Cotai Strip. Additionally, according to statistics published by the Statistics and Census Service of the Macau Government, visitor arrivals increased 10% and overnight visitors increased 7% in 2018 compared to 2017. As a significant number of MGM Macau’s customers are from mainland China, we believe operating results at MGM Macau are affected by economic conditions in mainland China as well as certain policy initiatives enacted in mainland China and Macau. Despite concerns over the sustainability of economic growth in China, we expect the Macau market to grow on a long-term basis due to further development and penetration of the mainland China market and infrastructure improvements expected to facilitate more convenient travel to and within Macau. We believe recent trends reflect stabilization and growth within the Macau market as gross gaming revenue has increased consistently over the last several years. Additionally, we have seen growth due to the opening of MGM Cotai in February 2018.

 

Pursuant to a master lease agreement between the tenant and the landlord, the tenant leases the real estate assets of The Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, New York-New York, Park MGM, Excalibur, The Park, Gold Strike Tunica, MGM Grand Detroit, Beau Rivage, Borgata, and MGM National Harbor from the landlord. See Note 1 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for information regarding MGP and the Operating Partnership, which we consolidate in our financial statements, and Note 17 in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for information regarding the master lease with MGP. All intercompany transactions, including transactions under the master lease, have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

In July 2018, MGP completed its acquisition of the membership interests of Northfield, an Ohio limited liability company that owns the real estate assets and operations of the Hard Rock Rocksino Northfield Park. Simultaneously with the close of the transaction, MGP entered into a new agreement with an affiliate of Hard Rock Café International (STP), Inc. to continue to serve as the manager of the property. See Note 4 and Note 17 in the accompanying financial statements for information regarding this acquisition, the Empire City Acquisition, the Northfield OpCo sale, and the Park MGM Lease Transaction.

 

In January 2019, we announced the implementation of the MGM 2020 plan to further reduce costs, improve efficiencies and position us for growth. We expect to deliver annualized Adjusted EBITDA benefit of $300 million in aggregate, consisting of $200 million by the end of 2020 and an additional $100 million by the end of 2021. The MGM 2020 plan will be a company-wide, business-optimization initiative aimed to leverage a more centralized organization to maximize profitability and, through key investments in technology, lay the groundwork for our digital transformation to drive revenue growth.

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Key Performance Indicators

Key performance indicators related to gaming and hotel revenue are:

 

 

Additional key performance indicators at MGM China are:

 

 

Results of Operations

 

The following discussion is based on our consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

 

Summary Financial Results

 

The following table summarizes our operating results:

 

 

Summary Operating Results

 

Consolidated net revenues for 2018 increased 9% compared to 2017 due primarily to the opening of MGM Cotai on February 13, 2018 and the opening of MGM Springfield on August 24, 2018. Consolidated net revenues for 2017 increased 14% compared to 2016 due primarily to the full year of operations at Borgata and MGM National Harbor, an increase in casino revenue and rooms revenue at our Las Vegas Strip Resorts and an increase in casino revenue at MGM China, as discussed further below.

 

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Consolidated operating income in 2018 decreased 14% compared to 2017. Consolidated operating income in 2018 benefited from a $45 million gain related to the sale of Grand Victoria and also included $24 million of business interruption insurance proceeds primarily at Mandalay Bay. The prior year period included a benefit of $36 million related to Borgata’s share of a property tax settlement from Atlantic City and a benefit of $45 million related to the modification of the NV Energy exit fee, which included the benefit recognized at our Las Vegas Strip Resorts as well as our 50% share of the benefit recognized at CityCenter. Consolidated operating income was negatively affected by the ramp up of operations at our recently opened MGM Springfield and MGM Cotai resorts inclusive of depreciation expense associated with the new resorts, disruption related to the rebranding at Park MGM, and an increase in corporate expense discussed below. In addition, preopening and start-up expenses increased as discussed below in “Operating Results – Details of Certain Charges.” Corporate expense, including share-based compensation for corporate employees, increased to $419 million in 2018 from $357 million in 2017, and included $19 million in transaction costs, MGM China corporate expense of $19 million, and costs incurred related to the corporate brand campaign and the MGM 2020 and finance modernization initiatives. Depreciation and amortization expense related to certain assets at MGM China of $166 million was included in corporate in our non-GAAP reconciliations included herein for 2018. Income from unconsolidated affiliates was $148 million in 2018 compared to $146 million in 2017.

 

Consolidated operating income was $1.7 billion in 2017 and included the impact of the items discussed above as well as a full year of operations at Borgata and MGM National Harbor. Operating income of $2.1 billion in 2016 included a $430 million gain recognized on the Borgata acquisition and a $401 million gain related to the sale of Crystals at CityCenter, which was partially offset by charges of $152 million of NV Energy exit expense associated with our strategic decision to exit the fully bundled sales system of NV Energy. Operating income in 2017 also benefitted from a decrease in preopening expense as discussed below in “Operating Results – Details of Certain Charges.” Corporate expense increased to $357 million in 2017 from $313 million in 2016, primarily from a $16 million charge for the Operating Partnership’s share of real estate transfer taxes recorded in connection with the MGM National Harbor transaction, with the remainder of the increase primarily related to corporate brand campaign expenses, legal expenses, and charitable contributions. Income from unconsolidated affiliates was $146 million in 2017 compared to $528 million in 2016, which included the gain related to the sale of Crystals.

 

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Net Revenues by Segment

 

The following table presents a detail by segment of net revenues: