MGM Mirage Multitasking

As MGM Mirage officials are said to be discussing hotel development plans for the Middle East and Asia, the company is getting some heat for its choice of partner in an MGM Grand Macau project.

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement’s multiyear investigation has reportedly recommended MGM sever its partnership with Macau businesswoman Pansy Ho to develop and run MGM Grand Macau, declaring Ho an unsuitable choice.

MGM co-owns the Borgata casino in Atlantic City with Boyd Gaming and is subject to state gaming commission rules, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Officials with the Las Vegas-based company told the paper they disagree with the commission’s recommendation and will present their side at an upcoming hearing.

Despite that snag, MGM reportedly signed an agreement for eight hotel management deals with developers and in discussions regarding nearly a dozen more hotels across Asia and the Middle East under MGM Mirage’s newly created hospitality division, the WSJ said.

And there’s still MGM’s joint venture with Dubai World in the CityCenter complex in Las Vegas. Now that the parties have worked out their financial differences, that project is said to be getting back on track.