After Las Vegas experienced a slowdown in visitors in 2025, casinos are looking to cut costs and attract gamblers to head to Sin City.
MGM Resorts announced that all of the company’s Las Vegas properties would use solar power to operate during daytime hours. MGM has a 25-year power-purchase agreement with the Escape Solar and Storage Project.
The solar operation is located in Lincoln County, about 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas. The company began accessing solar in December and hopes to eventually expand that to include all of the companies’ properties across the country.
“The new Escape Solar and Storage Project reflects our focus on scalable, impactful clean-energy solutions,” MGM CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It also demonstrates that our industry can operate more sustainably while delivering long-term cost stability, strengthening our business and supporting a more resilient energy future.”
Cutting Costs
MGM can now use up to 115 megawatts of solar power and an additional 400 megawatt-hours of battery storage. The company also has access to the 100-megawatt Mega Solar Array, located about 30 miles north of Las Vegas. Operations could also be supplemented with other sources as needed, the company said.
The cost-cutting effort comes after the company laid off 800 mid-level managers in September. That followed pink-slipping some concierge staff last spring.
Earlier this month, Morgan Stanley downgraded MGM stock over growing concerns about the company’s financial picture.
Additionally, MGM’s stock price has struggled. It’s down from both the COVID-19 rebound peak and from headier times in 2007-08.
Another potential problem for MGM could be the company’s “asset-light strategy” approach. This involves selling the valuable real estate the casinos are on and simply being involved in the operations.
The company sold the real estate for the Bellagio in 2019 and did the same at Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand in 2020.
Management viewed the sales as a way to raise cash “to build a fortress balance sheet and return capital to shareholders,” as then Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts Jim Murren explained in 2019.
Owner Of Downtown Casinos Reaches Out To Canadians
With the Vegas tourism slump underway, Derek Stevens is part of a growing movement by Vegas casinos running promotions to bring in more guests. The owner of downtown Vegas properties The D, Golden Gate, and Circa released a video on X this week encouraging more Canadians to visit.
O Canada 🇨🇦
True North Strong and FreeAlways Welcome in Las Vegas…
🇨🇦=🇺🇸 AT PARLearn more at https://t.co/2FMCrtGQbP@CircaLasVegas @theDlasvegas @GoldenGateVegas pic.twitter.com/Z0kCHGBStQ
— Derek Stevens (@DerekJStevens) January 22, 2026
Stevens is offering the “Vegas at Par” promotion. It basically eliminates the exchange rate, meaning one Canadian dollar will be equal to one US dollar. The deal includes up to $500 for gambling at par.
While different from the MGM cost-cutting approach, the goal is the same: add to the bottom line.
“What I want to do is … invite Canada back to Las Vegas,” Stevens said. “I miss Canada, Las Vegas misses Canada, our team misses Canada.”
