It’s not uncommon for businesses to see changes in personnel – it happens all the time. However, when two executives with the same company step down in quick succession, it raises eyebrows. International casino operator MGM Resorts International thanked chairman and CEO Jim Murren for 22 years of service as he departed last month (a move that was made before he completed his “MGM 2020” plan, which is another reason to be concerned) and, right on the heels of his departure, another executive is leaving. Brian Sandoval, the former governor of Nevada who joined MGM only a little more than a year ago as its president of global gaming, has submitted his resignation. With both departures, the circumstances are a little puzzling.
In the case of Murren, he had announced his resignation well ahead of the termination of his contract with MGM, which doesn’t seem fitting for someone at such a high level of a company. At the time of the announcement, he didn’t specify why he was leaving, but it was revealed shortly after that he would be spearheading Nevada’s efforts to combat the coronavirus. That should, in theory, just be a short-term gig, but it forced Murren to up his departure timeline and, instead of sticking around to help during the transition to bring in a new CEO, he bailed.
Sandoval is leaving because he wants to go back to school, in a way. In a statement released by MGM regarding his departure, he says, “Having accomplished my goals at MGM, I have decided to put my time, energy, and public and private experience to work as an applicant to become the next president of the University of Nevada, Reno.”
Sandoval, who served two terms as Nevada’s governor, was tapped by Murren in January of last year to help the company with its initiatives in the sports gambling and Japan arenas. The first as the company looked to become more involved in sports gambling after the reversal of PASPA, and the second with its efforts to win over authorities and politicians in Japan so it could secure a partnership to build an integrated resort (IR) in the country.