MGM Resorts jet leaves Osaka for Alaska as CEO touts $12B resort

MGM Resorts flew from Kansai International Airport to Crooked Creek Airport in Alaska on May 15, a roughly seven-hour trip aboard its Embraer Legacy 500 (N783MM). The flight departed Osaka just days after the company announced a 20% increase in its investment in the MGM Osaka integrated resort, now valued at over $12 billion, per a company release. CEO Bill Hornbuckle recently told the Nevada Gaming Commission that the project is “coming out of the ground” and on track for a 2030 opening.

The same week, Hornbuckle also noted that MGM Osaka has passed a critical construction phase, with pylon work set to begin this summer, as reported by GGRAsia. The Alaska destination is unusual for the company’s fleet, which typically shuttles executives between Las Vegas and major U.S. metros like New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. No public event or business announcement was tied to the landing at Crooked Creek, a small airstrip west of Anchorage.

The flight follows a pattern of Asia travel: earlier in the week, the same jet visited Macau, where MGM Resorts continues to see strong post-COVID performance. While the purpose of the Alaska leg remains unconfirmed, it may be a repositioning or a private stop. The company’s focus, however, remains firmly on Osaka, where it expects the resort to eventually generate $2 billion in annual EBITDA.