MGM Resorts CEO Bill Hornbuckle has pushed back against claims that Las Vegas is in decline, arguing that recent headlines about declining visitor numbers don’t provide the full context and exaggerate the situation. Speaking at a Vegas Chamber conference, Hornbuckle emphasized that 2023 and 2024 were record years for the Las Vegas Strip and that that the 2025 figures naturally look worse.
Recent figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) highlighted an 8% year-on-year drop in visitors in 2025, although gaming revenue didn’t dip. Hornbuckle noted that the city will have more conventions in the coming “14 to 15 months” than at any point in Las Vegas history. He also remarked on Strip gaming revenue being “flat off an amazing year.”
confident that people will always go to Las Vegas
Pushing against the idea that major Nevada casino companies charge over-the-odds prices for goods and services, Hornbuckle said that “value doesn’t mean to be cheap.” He remarked on the quality of experiences people can enjoy. Hornbuckle is confident that people will always go to Las Vegas to see big performances, eat at world-class restaurants, and experience the scale of mega casinos.
To underscore his confidence, MGM will continue reinvesting hundreds of millions of dollars each year in its Las Vegas Strip properties.
