LAS VEGAS, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MGM Resorts
International (NYSE: MGM) properties have been awarded a new
designation by TripAdvisor®, the world's largest travel
website, that helps identify the most environmentally friendly
hotels.
Twelve MGM Resorts properties on the Las Vegas Strip were
accepted into the new TripAdvisor GreenLeaders™ program. The
program considers a property's holistic approach to "green"
practices and ranks them based on four levels of participation -
Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum.
ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa each received
a Platinum designation – denoting the highest level of
environmental responsibility - an achievement earned by less than
10 percent of participants. Gold designations went to MGM
Grand Las Vegas, The Mirage, New York-New
York, The Signature at MGM Grand, Bellagio, Monte Carlo and Mandalay Bay. Excalibur and
Luxor received Silver designations. Circus Circus Las Vegas earned
Bronze.
"The new TripAdvisor ranking system is a powerful tool for
consumers to refer to when they are selecting a hotel," said MGM
Resorts Chief Sustainability Officer Cindy
Ortega. "We know very well that our guests vote with
their feet, and, increasingly, guests are placing environmental
responsibility high on their priority lists when making important
travel decisions."
TripAdvisor lauded MGM Resorts for its sustainability practices
and procedures.
"MGM Resorts has an impressive number of properties that are
dedicated to educating their guests and potential guests about the
sustainability aspects of Las
Vegas," said Jenny Rushmore,
director of responsible travel for TripAdvisor. "It is clear
that MGM Resorts has demonstrated that the company is truly
committed to reducing their resorts' environmental impacts and
increasing the transparency of its 'green' programs with
guests."
TripAdvisor has launched the GreenLeaders program with more than
1,000 properties, comprised of independent hotels to multinational
brands. Web surfers can refine their search on
TripAdvisor.com to hotels that hold the "green" designation, and a
view of each hotel's sustainability features.
Prior to launch, a comprehensive range of sustainability aspects
at each hotel were analyzed, from linen re-use, recycling, car
charging stations, green building materials and more.
TripAdvisor developed the program in partnership with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR® Program,
the U.S. Green Building Council, and the United Nations Environment
Programme.
Recent statistics revealed by TripAdvisor surveys show that 79
percent of travelers place importance on destinations that
implement eco-friendly practices, and 86 percent of hoteliers in
the United States state that they
have green practices in place.
In 2009, CityCenter was awarded six LEED Gold certifications for
sustainable design and construction from the U.S. Green Building
Council. In 2012, MGM Resorts was awarded 15 Green Key Hotel
rankings for designation of green business operations. Also, in
2012, Green Key Global's Meetings Program awarded the "5 Green
Keys" rating to the meetings and convention spaces within Bellagio,
ARIA, Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand Las Vegas. For three consecutive
years, MGM Resorts has been listed as the highest ranking company
in the casino-resort industry among Newsweek Magazine's 500 most
environmentally responsible companies.
For more information about MGM Resorts International's
commitment to sustainability, please visit:
www.mgmresorts.com/csr.
About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor is the world's largest travel site*, enabling travelers
to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted
advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and
planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor
branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world,
with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors**, and over 100
million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries
worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor
also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that
provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly
TripAdvisor visitors.
*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide,
January 2013
**Source: Google Analytics, worldwide data, March 2013
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's
leading global hospitality companies, operating destination resort
brands including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage.
The Company also owns 51% of MGM China Holdings Limited, which owns
the MGM Macau resort and casino and is in the process of developing
a gaming resort in Cotai, and 50% of CityCenter in Las Vegas, which features ARIA resort and
casino. For more information about MGM Resorts International,
visit the Company's website at www.mgmresorts.com.
SOURCE MGM Resorts International