Last week MGM Resorts International announced they will carve out a REIT from their operations to be called MGM Growth Properties. This is the first major Las Vegas strip property owner to clearly give intentions on REIT creation. Caesars has a desire to convert to a REIT, but its still mired in a long bankruptcy battle with its creditors. For MGM, 10 of their properties will be rolled into MGM Growth Properties including most of its Las Vegas strip properties with the Park development, but the REIT will exclude Bellagio and the MGM Grand. The festival grounds on the corner of Sahara and the Strip as well as Circus Circus will also be excluded from the REIT. MGM Detroit and the gulf coast properties will be included, and MGM Springfield will likely be folded into the REIT once its operational.
The creation of an MGM REIT will have major impacts on the Las Vegas Strip, but at first, MGM Resorts International will retain a 70 percent stake in MGM Growth Properties. This means that MGM Resorts International will control the REIT and operate the two divisions with parallel business strategies.
