Marriott And MGM Resorts International On Monday, it announced a partnership to connect its loyalty programs and give customers more options to take advantage of.

Under the deal, MGM guests in the US can earn Marriott Bonvoy Rewards points and Bonvoy members, in turn, will have access to 17 MGM properties when they spend their points.

The 40,000 rooms MGM offers will increase Marriott’s global portfolio by 2.4%.

The partnership seeks to take advantage of frequent or business travelers, who can be fiercely loyal to certain hotel brands in an effort to cash in on the rewards. These loyalty programs are driving businesses and helping to differentiate themselves from competitors at a time when travel continues to recover from a pandemic shutdown.

“The value is in the quantity and quality of the customer,” MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle told CNBC in an interview Monday.

Bonvoy has more than 180 million members. If members want to use their rewards points for stays on the Las Vegas Strip, currently, their only hotel option is Hotel Cosmopolitan, which MGM bought in 2022.

When the new partnership launches this fall, Bonvoy members will be able to redeem their rewards at 12 more resorts in the strip and five more MGM resorts nationwide.

Marriott CEO Tony Capuano said MGM Resorts brings a wealth of intellectual property to the portfolio in addition to entertainment, upscale culinary options and other one-of-a-kind experiences.

“It is really an exciting opportunity for our members,” said Capuano.

Capuano said last month that the global hotel chain raised its revenue per available room forecast based on a 26% increase in group business this year.

The convention business has yet to fully recover from the lows of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the conference calendar is packed, and there is optimism that teamwork, along with increased international visits, may push the results even higher.

Las Vegas is one of the top destinations in the United States for conferences, conventions, and meetings.

When asked if the Bonvoy program would give MGM a competitive edge in the syndicated business against competitors such as CaesarHornbuckle said, “The answer is unequivocally yes.”

Meanwhile, casinos face tough year-over-year comparisons in the second half of 2023, and a partnership with Marriott could give MGM a competitive edge in sports betting business BetMGM, which is jointly owned. get.

MGM sportsbook customers will earn Bonvoy points on certain transactions, and Bonvoy members will see marketing of MGM sportsbooks on the Marriott website.

Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM, stated in a press release announcing the deal that it would create “a truly powerful rewards program that connects our players and Marriott guests to the comprehensive omnichannel BetMGM experience.”

— CNBC’s Don Gil, Jessica Golden and Casey O’Brien contributed to this report.

The Stanley Cup belongs to Sin City.

The Vegas Golden Knights, in only their sixth season in the NHL, won the league championship on Tuesday night, completing a 4-1 win over the Cinderella Florida Panthers.

Vegas’ rapid rise to the top of hockey has taken the sports world by surprise, but that’s exactly what owner Bill Foley intended when he cut his $500 million expansion fee in 2016..

It’s a remarkable feat for an expansion team in any sport, but especially for an ice hockey team in a desert city that, until recently, served as a desert for professional team sports.

Now, those in Las Vegas have become Golden Knights fans.

“I was in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final and T-Mobile Arena was absolutely amazing,” Bill Hornbuckle, CEO of MGM Resorce, told CNBC on Wednesday.

On Golden Knights game days, the MGM property surrounding the team’s home, T-Mobile Arena, is packed with customers. That’s what former MGM CEO Jim Morin envisioned in 2017, when he described his efforts to turn Sin City into a sports city.

It’s more than just hockey, too. Vegas’ success in the NHL also underscores the city’s rapid development into a major player in the sport.

Morin defended the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA, which MGM owned at the time and later sold to Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis in 2021.

Davis apparently bought into the concept of Las Vegas as a sports destination. He moved his football franchise, long a California staple, to the city in 2020. The team’s Allegiant Stadium will welcome its Super Bowl to Vegas for the first time next year.

The Golden Knights have been contenders since their first season. They quickly garnered a fierce fan base as they reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2018, losing to the Washington Capitals. Between then and this year’s tournament, the Golden Knights have reached the conference finals twice and only missed the playoffs once.

The team often sells out its home games, which attracts locals and tourists alike. The city is black and gold during the hockey season. MGM Resorts The Golden Knights jersey is worn on a replica of the Statue of Liberty outside New York, New York.

The community spirit surrounding an NHL team is felt throughout the city’s sports scene.

“This is an exciting time for our city as we cement our position as one of the best sports and entertainment destinations in the world,” said Herbuckle.

Sandra Douglas Morgan of Las Vegas is now the president of Readers. She told CNBC in a recent interview that her town is poised to capture the imagination of sports fans everywhere, with its entertainment, dining, shopping, and of course, gambling options.

“We’re going to make sure that we continue to provide Las Vegas and our 40 million visitors from around the world with these life-changing experiences,” she said.

Casinos in Vegas also benefit from the city’s inaugural Formula 1 race, which is scheduled for November. Wynn, for example, offers a five-star weekend package priced at $1 million.

While Las Vegas lost out this year to a Major League Soccer expansion team, it looks like the Major League Baseball team is on its way.

The Oakland A’s signed multiple agreements to move the team to the Vegas location. This week, the Nevada Senate approved a bill to raise $380 million in public funds for a professional baseball stadium. The bill now goes to the state assembly.

Rumors and hopes have persisted for years about the potential of an NBA expansion team, although nothing solid has emerged.

For now, though, Las Vegas is deeply fond of the Golden Knights, a pride that forces locals to brave the intimidating strip tourist and traffic to support their team.

And now the Knights are the kings of hockey.