A stalwart group of resorts on The Strip and around the globe, MGM Resorts International announced several new top executives for multiple casino-hotel properties along the Las Vegas Strip, a new report points out. Sean Lanni, current president and chief operating officer at The Cosmopolitan casino-hotel, will expand his duties to similar roles at Aira, Vdara, and Park MGM casino-hotels, the company announced earlier this month. Lanni, who has been with the company since 2007, is the son-in-law of MGM Resorts President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle. Prior to taking over as top executive at The Cosmopolitan in February 2024, he served as MGM Resorts’ president of international marketing for more than five years.
In this article, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news coming from Las Vegas and the Silver State, along with some additional notes and info you can find at SBS.
According to the article, Mike Neubecker, president and COO of MGM Grand, Excalibur, New York-New York, and Signature, will now also oversee Mandalay Bay and Luxor. Travis Lunn, who had been serving as president of the latter two properties, will remain with MGM, reporting to Neubecker, per a company memo detailing the changes. The property-level changes are the result of recent corporate-level moves. Ayesha Molino, the current president and COO at Aria and Vdara, was named chief operating officer for MGM Resorts International, effective January 1, 2026. Moreover, Molino is succeeding Corey Sanders, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Park MGM and Bellagio had been under the purview of Ann Hoff, who retired as president and COO of the two properties earlier this year. Per the same article, the internal company memo explains that Bellagio, Aria/Vdara, Park MGM, and The Cosmopolitan will all be getting new general managers. Per the same report, the Bellagio general manager will report directly to Molino, while the general managers of the others will report to Lanni. Those roles are expected to be filled internally, according to the internal note from Hornbuckle.
The memo also notes Steve Zanella, currently president of operations for MGM Resorts, has been nominated to serve as president and CEO of the company’s Japan operations. MGM is currently constructing the first casino resort in Osaka, Japan, which is expected to open in 2030. MGM said it will conduct open interviews and promote a current regional property president to fill the expanded president of regional operations role. “I have never been more excited about the future of this great company and am confident these new leaders and teams will achieve great success,” Hornbuckle wrote.
Hornbuckle recently agreed to a contract extension through the end of 2028. According to a news release, Hornbuckle was offered an advisory role at the conclusion of his current term to assist with the opening of the company’s yet-to-be-completed casino resort in Japan.
In other news, a recent report said that Las Vegas tourism continues to decline as fresh numbers reveal that fewer visitors are traveling to Sin City. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) recently released its numbers for July visitors, noting a 12% drop from last year. Per the article, there were 3,089,300 visitors this July compared to over 3.5 million last year, while occupancy on the Strip dropped 7% from 86.5% last year. The tourism decline has been attributed to a combination of factors, the national report says, including the impact of tariffs, the seasonal summer slowdown, and a surge in online gaming.
Most recently, the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino announced it will be forgoing live dealers, shifting to electronic table games (ETG). Owner and CEO Derek Stevens told the national Fox outlet about ongoing evolutions and shared updates. “I think things continue to change. I remember that at one point in time, people played sic bo (a fast-paced dice game with Asian origins),” Stevens said. “Remember, there are a lot of different games that had their eras and their run, whether it’s in Vegas or anywhere around the world,” he added.
Stevens said he believes ETGs represent just another shift in the industry, with consumers more comfortable playing on their phones following the coronavirus pandemic. “Some of this really has to do with how good these new electronic table games are and how good some of these new high-limit slot machines are,” Stevens said. “The slot business has done a great, great job of attracting new customers, both young and old.”
After you are all up to speed in relation to the latest gambling updates from Sin City, make sure to check out the excellent array of information available to you only at SBS. Of course, for even more analysis on the topics covered in this report, the online Vegas sportsbooks guide has you covered with some fantastic updates coming from Sin City. Moreover, for those interested in some new outlets and who qualify, the BetOnline sportsbook review rundown is available. On this page, qualified customers can peruse all kinds of great bonuses, promotions, and beyond. Finally, for patrons who are eligible and interested in maximizing their wagers, the best bonus betting sites is a must-read page. Here you can explore a catalogue of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers available to you.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
Read Chris's ProfileAsk Chris about this guide:
