MGM Resorts International Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

MGM Resorts International - Case Study Example The purpose the case analysis is precisely to determine the best strategic alternative for MGM Resorts International, given the business and general environment in which it operates, and given an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, the threats to its business, and the opportunities that are present in the market. The paper also presents a plan for implementation of the chosen strategic alternative arising out of the strategic analysis. The firm in focus is properly a holding entity for a number of assets operating in the hospitality industry (Google Finance, 2013; Bloomberg, 2013; MGM Resorts International, 2013). As a holding firm in the hospitality industry, the key business for MGM Resorts International is in the business of owning and operating resorts that are casinos. As such, it is in the business of offering within those casino resorts such services as retail, dining, entertainment, gaming, convention, hotel, and a number of corollary services and activities. Its presen ce is confined to two markets, the US domestic market, where it owns and operates 15 casino resorts throughout the United States, and the China Market, where MGM Macau has ownership of the casino resort known as MGM Macau resort and casino. The company has sole ownership and total control of operations for its US casino resorts, whose casino operations in particular are open the whole year round without pause and for 24 hours everyday, except for its operations at the Grand Victoria, which pause for work two hours out of 24 hours on a daily basis (Google Finance, 2013). Apart from the wholly owned resorts, MGM Resorts International also has 50 percent stakes in three other facilities, chief of them being CityCenter, where the company has half of total ownership stakes in the ARIA Resort and Casino, among other assets. Its MGM China Holdings control 51 percent of the MGM Macau Resort and Casino, apart from new planned developments for a Cotai resort and casino. Its expertise in the h ospitality segment has allowed the holding firm, moreover, to get involved in a vast array of management agreements as well as development agreements for various projects worldwide, involving all kinds of projects outside of casino development as well as projects in casino and resorts development (MGM Resorts International, 2013). Its key bases of operations in the US, meanwhile, are Michigan, Nevada, and Mississippi, with additional stakes in properties in Illinois and Nevada outside of its core interests. In China its base of operations is essentially Macau These properties coupled with consulting and management services make up the totality of its core business offerings to the world (Bloomberg, 2013). A look at its 10-year stock performance shows that MGM Resorts International shares have traded in a relatively narrow band since sharply dropping from its peaks of close to 100 dollars a share in 2007. Current stock prices of about 12.86 dollars a share are within the narrow band that it has been in since that time (Google Finance, 2013) Image Source: Google Finance, 2013 Meanwhile, shorter-term investor sentiments towards the stock shows that many hedge funds and other investors are cautiously long on the stock, and recent developments that indicate some long-term investors such as Kirk Kerkorian are upping their shares in the company by buying more shares are boosting sentiment. The