MGM Resorts flies to Macau the week it opens new premium gaming suites

MGM Resorts flew one of its Embraer Legacy 500s, tail N783MM, from Tokyo to Macau on May 12, landing at Macau International Airport after a short hop from Narita. The aircraft had spent the previous day shuttling between Alaska and Japan, suggesting a transpacific repositioning ahead of this visit.

The same week, MGM China opened a 40,000-square-foot premium gaming area and 63 new accommodation suites at MGM Cotai, according to a GGRAsia report citing CEO Bill Hornbuckle. The company is also in the design phase for a refresh of about 100 suites at its older MGM Macau property. The trip aligns with a push to capture high-end play ahead of the Labour Day holiday period, which Hornbuckle described as a targeted capital spend in a market where MGM Resorts remains “under suited.”

The flight arrives as MGM Resorts reported first-quarter results showing MGM China net revenues up 9% year-over-year to $1.1 billion, per the company’s earnings release. The Macau operations have become a key growth driver while Las Vegas Strip revenue remains essentially flat, making visits like this one a routine part of managing the company’s most dynamic segment.