MGM Resorts says no new Vegas casinos, but mobile sports betting on the way

MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren says his firm is done building new casinos in Las Vegas.

Speaking to the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Howard Stutz, Murren said that it’s “not my expectation during my career here that we will build another casino resort in Las Vegas.” Murren says he doesn’t “see the value proposition, the need and the business case that could be made” for spending billions on another Vegas casino.

MGM boasts more properties on the Las Vegas Strip than any other casino operator, but Murren believes “the era of expanding casino floors is over.” With gaming’s share of overall Strip revenue currently down to a little more than one-third, Murren believes “the evolution of the casino floor will be to shrink them.”

This new vision is being driven by younger Vegas visitors, who have shown little appetite for parking themselves in front of a slot machine for hours at a stretch. Most of these visitors have casinos in their home states, and Murren believes they come to Vegas seeking “one-of-a-kind experiences” they can’t get back home.