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GOLD STRIKE CASINO RESORT EARNS GREEN KEY HOSPITALITY RATING
Tunica's First Green Key Rating is Highest in Mississippi
Tunica, Miss. – Jan. 24, 2013 – Green Key Global, the largest international certification body evaluating sustainable hotel operations, has awarded the prestigious "4 Green Keys" rating to Gold Strike Casino Resort for its "green" business operations.
A 4 Green Key rating demonstrates that Gold Strike has shown national industry leadership and commitment to protecting the environment through its policies and practices. The resort has mature programs in place that have shown substantial and measurable results, and involve management, employees, guests, and the public
Gold Strike Tunica and MGM Resorts International sister property Beau Rivage in Biloxi are the first Mississippi resorts to receive "4 Green Keys", the highest rating in the state. Gold Strike is the first property in Tunica and among 17 total properties in Mississippi that have received Green Key certification.
"This is the first time that our Mississippi operations have been evaluated in this way and the first time that our everyday commitment to 'green' practices have been formally validated," said George P. Corchis, Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International's Regional Operations, which includes Mississippi's Beau Rivage and Gold Strike Tunica. "Our Company has seriously embraced sustainability practices and the responsibility of reducing our environmental impact and we are proud that our Mississippi properties have earned elite recognition in sustainable hotel operations."
The Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to recognize hotels, motels and resorts that are committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance. Based on the results of a comprehensive environmental self-assessment, hoteliers are awarded a 1-5 Green Key rating (5 being the highest ranking) and provided with guidance on how to "unlock" opportunities to become a cutting edge, green lodging property, and reduce environmental impacts and operating costs through reduced utility consumption, employee training, and supply chain management.
The program assesses the 5 main operational areas of a resort including conference and meeting facilities; food & beverage operations; housekeeping; engineering; and corporate environmental management and nine areas of sustainable practices: energy conservation; water conservation; solid waste management; hazardous waste management; indoor air quality; community outreach; building infrastructure; land use and environmental management.
Green Key member properties and rankings are listed on the www.greenkeyglobal.com website, a valuable resource for environmentally conscious travelers and meeting planners, and also are recognized through Green Key Global's network of marketing partners including AAA, Travelocity and Expedia, among others. Overall, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program has more than 3,000 member hotels and is the foremost "green" ranking and audit program in the U.S.
"It is wonderful to see that MGM's Mississippi properties Gold Strike and Beau Rivage are dedicated to implementing a high standard of sustainable initiatives throughout their respective facilities," said Tony Pollard, Managing Director of Green Key Global. "The achievement of a 4 Key Rating requires long-term commitment and support at all levels of operations."
MGM Resorts' approach to sustainability focuses on five core areas - natural resources conservation, sustainable construction and renovation, waste management, sustainable supply chain and education and communication. This strategic framework of raising environmental awareness and promoting sustainability forms the company's sustainability platform, called Green Advantage. Green Advantage is fundamentally changing the way MGM Resorts, its properties and its 62,000 employees do business.
About Green Key Global
Green Key Global is a leading environmental certification body offering a suite of programs and resources designed specifically for the lodging industry. The Green Key Meetings Program ranks and certifies hotels and resorts based on their commitment to sustainable "green" meeting and conference operations. Developed by Green Key Global and MPI Foundation Canada, the Meetings program delivers relevant green meeting practices by providing specific green requirements that meeting planners expect from hotels. This partnership is a long term commitment to supporting the principles of people, planet and profit. In the United States, delivery of Green Key programs is a joint venture between the Hotel Association of Canada and LRA Worldwide, Inc. For more information, visit www.GreenKeyGlobal.com.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's website at www.mgmresorts.com.
About Gold Strike Casino Resort
Gold Strike Casino Resort, MGM Resorts International's 1,200-room resort located 20 minutes south of Memphis in Tunica, Miss., recently completed the largest renovation and remodeling project in its history. The multi-million dollar transformation included all of Gold Strike's deluxe rooms and suites, hotel lobby, casino, 30,000-square-foot conference and convention center, Atrium Cafe, Courtyard Buffet and high-limit gaming area. The resort also features the award-winning Chicago Steakhouse, a refreshing spa and salon, an 800-seat showroom and 50,000 square feet of gaming space with 53 table games and more than 1,200 slot machines. For reservations or information, call 888-24K-PLAY (7529) or visit www.goldstrike.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Mary Cracchiolo Spain, Gold Strike Public Relations, (228) 547.8473
