| Mirage Resorts | 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109 |
| www.mirageresorts.com | (702) 791-7111 Fax: (702) 792-7676 |
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Mirage: a player in Vegas
Thanks to Mirage Resorts, visitors to the, er, lovely environs of Las Vegas can enjoy the splendors of Italy, appreciate works from the Dutch Masters, and, of course, gamble to their heart's content. Throughout the years, Mirage has helped bring casino life from shady backrooms to the forefront of American popular entertainment. The company operates seven casinos: The Bellagio, Golden Nugget Las Vegas, Golden Nugget Laughlin, Holiday Inn Casino Boardwalk, The Mirage, The Monte Carlo, and Treasure Island. The company has future plans to expand operations to Mississippi with its Beau Rivage resort in Biloxi; it also seeks to reestablish a presence in Atlantic City.
Undaunted by doomsayers
In the closing months of 1998, many industry analysts turned bearish on prospects for the casino industry, particularly Las Vegas. The city now offers 128,000 rooms, up nearly 22% from 1997. Unfortunately, demand has not increased accordingly, especially as economic problems continued to rack Asia. Mirage, however, shows no sign of running for cover. To the contrary, the company has placed whopping bets on the future of Vegas. Mirage, led by CFO Dan Lee, has shelled out $238 million to accumulate properties on the Las Vegas strip, most notably a $36 million acquisition of Boardwalk which, taken together with the purchase of other properties, will clear the way for the next Mirage mega-resort.
Bellagio finds success in excess
Mirage Resorts has built itself on bringing class to the gaming business, and the most prominent testimony to this approach is the company's Bellagio Hotel. The $1.9 billion hotel, completed in 1998, evokes Italy's Lake Como region with a manmade lake and 1000 fountains. As a further draw to high rollers, the casino/hotel features high-class retail shopping and no less than $300 million in artwork from Van Gogh, Cezanne, Renoir, Monet, and Picasso.
Steve Wynn: developer, mogul, environmentalist?
The casino business is populated by more than its share of colorful characters, and Steve Wynn, former head of Mirage, is certainly not an exception. Wynn's father, a compulsive gambler and operator of bingo parlors, died when Wynn was just 21, leaving a pile of debts. In four years, Wynn managed to turn his situation around, and by the age of 31, he acquired a five percent stake in the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas. The move was a first of a series of business triumphs. In 1980, Wynn, leveraging his holdings in Las Vegas, built the Golden Nugget Atlantic City, which he subsequently sold for $440 million to the Bally Corp. Using proceeds from this sale, Wynn focused on building up his Las Vegas empire, starting with the Mirage in 1989, Treasure Island in 1993, and Bellagio in 1998.
As an elder statesman of the gaming business, and a billionaire, Wynn has refocused his attentions to a new, and somewhat curious cause: environmentalism. Wynn has called for more careful planning in Las Vegas, and has joined the board of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Some criticize Wynn's newfound interest in the environment as driven by little more than self-interest, but Wynn remains unfazed. In comments to the New York Times, Wynn noted: "Everybody talks about the environment, but very rarely do you have a chance to do anything about it. I thought it would be an interesting exercise, kind of like going to graduate school."
Playing at politics
Las Vegas has a rich and storied relationship with politics, a tradition in which Mirage happily participates. James Dobson, a member of a congressional commission to study the effects of gambling, noted to The New York Times: "Both political parties are obviously heavily dependent on contributions from the gambling industry, which is having a major influence on Washington." Mirage has been at the forefront as the industry's largest individual contributor to Federal candidates and parties with $442,000 to Republicans and $327,000 to Democrats. While the company's generosity errs on the Republican side, Mirage can also claim to be an FOB. In May 1996, Steve Wynn and President Clinton played 18 holes together, reportedly discussing "world events and raising daughters," according to the Times. The Democrats later received $10,000 from Mirage, and Wynn and his wife attended a $25,000-a-couple dinner for the President in Las Vegas.
Selling out
In February 2000, Wynn sold the Mirage Resorts to rival MGM Grand in a deal worth $6.4 billion. Shortly after selling his resort, Wynn and his wife acquired the Desert Inn Hotel and Casino from Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
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Mirage's Web site, www.mirageresorts.com, offers no information regarding employment opportunities. Instead, Mirage recommends contacting the company by phone. For casino jobs, Mirage offers a job hotline at (702)792-5627. For other jobs, candidates should contact Mirage's Employment Office at (702)894-7500.
Regarding the interview process, candidates can expect two rounds of interviews. One insider tells us that "they do a pretty intense job of screening their applicants. By the time you actually get an interview, I think they know you're qualified for the job, they just want to get to know you a bit." Another puts more of a Vegas spin on the situation in observing, "most jobs are obtained by who you know and not what you know. That's very common in the gaming industry, but don't let that discourage you."
As far as tips for interviewing, one Mirage contact advises that job seekers "read the company's annual report, understand which resorts and companies are owned by Mirage Resorts, wear some nice clothes, and SMILE!" Another tells job seekers to "be honest with yourself, and don't expect too much too soon." The same contact explains: "Keep in mind that you may have to start at a lower level position for that which you are applying. Having a degree is important, but practical experience weighs heavily in many hiring decisions, particularly in the hotel/casino industry.
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The shimmering Mirage
Our Mirage Resorts insiders generally give the company favorable reviews, largely because of the company's dynamic and constantly evolving atmosphere. Says one: "I have worked for other casinos but none have been like Mirage Resorts. The company is ever-changing; we are always moving forward. [It] seems as if we are always remodeling something." Another agrees: "Mirage Resorts is continuously expanding (promotion opportunities)." One contact working in IT tells us that "the chance to keep up with even a portion of our constantly changing technology has always excited me." The continual growth and evolution of Mirage seems to fit with life in Las Vegas generally. One amazed insider observes: "There is a lot of opportunity in Las Vegas; it is really booming out here. I've been here for almost ten years and it doesn't even seem like the same town I moved to."
Compensation: look beyond pay
"Rumor has it," one source observes, "that Mirage Resorts doesn't pay as much as some of the others, but I believe the benefits and strength of the company outweigh any salary discrepancies." What kinds of benefits? One is the company's 401 (k) plan, under which Mirage will "add 2 percent of your monthly pay, if you contribute at least 4% of your pay to the plan." Insiders also note a solid management training program, and a "staggered vacation schedule" that starts with one week after 12 months, two weeks after two years, three weeks after six years, and four weeks after 12 years.
Diversity: international
Insiders feel positive about Mirage's attitudes toward ethnic and gender equality. One adds: "I know they take sexual harassment very seriously." Another tells us that "people of many nationalities work at various staff and management positions, often within the same department. The primary example that comes to mind is international marketing." Another informant tells us: "I am partially of Latino extract myself, and I have made several advances since joining, and have every expectation of continuing to do so."
Formal dress, sometimes weird hours
As would be expected in the hotel/casino business, presentation is important. Of course, "many departments require uniforms," especially for those that operate on the casino floor. As for management, insiders tell us that "formal business attire" is the norm. Hours seem to reflect the hotel/casino life. For casino personnel, hours will generally be divided into four ten hour shifts, but, as one insider tells us, "since the casino industry is a 24-hour operation, casino workers and other non-office personnel often work odd hours, such as 8pm to 8am, or 4pm to midnight."
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Human Resources
(702) 894 7500
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