Las Vegas casinos are ramping up efforts to cut expenses and attract visitors after the city saw a dip in tourism in 2025.
MGM Resorts announced that all its Las Vegas properties will now run on solar power during daytime hours, thanks to a 25-year agreement with the Escape Solar and Storage Project.
The solar facility is situated in Lincoln County, roughly 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas. MGM began tapping into solar energy in December and plans to eventually expand this approach to all of its properties nationwide.
“The Escape Solar and Storage Project highlights our commitment to scalable, meaningful clean-energy solutions,” MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It also shows that our industry can operate sustainably while maintaining long-term cost stability and supporting a resilient energy future.”
Reducing Expenses
MGM now has access to 115 megawatts of solar power and 400 megawatt-hours of battery storage. The company can also tap into the 100-megawatt Mega Solar Array about 30 miles north of Las Vegas, with other energy sources available if needed.
These cost-saving measures follow layoffs of 800 mid-level managers last September, as well as reductions in concierge staff earlier in the year.
MGM’s stock has faced challenges, declining from both its COVID-19 recovery peak and previous highs in 2007–08. Morgan Stanley recently downgraded MGM stock due to concerns over the company’s financial outlook.
Another factor is MGM’s “asset-light strategy,” which involves selling casino real estate while continuing operations. This approach was used for properties like the Bellagio in 2019 and Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand in 2020, with the aim of strengthening the balance sheet and returning capital to shareholders.
Promotions Target Canadian Visitors
Amid the tourism slump, Derek Stevens, owner of downtown Vegas casinos including The D, Golden Gate, and Circa, is rolling out promotions to attract guests from Canada.
His “Vegas at Par” campaign eliminates the currency exchange disadvantage, allowing one Canadian dollar to equal one U.S. dollar, with up to $500 for gambling included.
“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.”
While differing from MGM’s cost-cutting strategy, Stevens’ promotion shares the same goal: driving revenue by bringing more visitors to Sin City.
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