MGM, New York-New York seek edge with new airport check-in

David Strow

Thursday, April 27, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

As Marilyn and Kim Bennett of Columbia, S.C., made their way through McCarran International Airport Wednesday afternoon, their eyes went immediately to something they'd never seen before -- a check-in desk at the airport for their hotel, the MGM Grand.

Twenty minutes later, the Bennetts not only had their luggage, but had already checked into their rooms, picked up their keys and purchased tickets to "EFX."

It was the Bennetts' first stay at the MGM Grand, but the new desk makes it likely it won't be their last, they said.

"You have to wait already for your luggage, right?" Marilyn Bennett said. "(The airport check-in desk) is a wonderful idea."

The check-in desk at McCarran's baggage claim area opened to the public April 15 and was formally unveiled to the local media Wednesday. Through it, guests at two MGM Grand Inc. properties -- the MGM Grand and the New York-New York -- can check in, check out and order tickets before ever arriving on property. For a $10 fee, the company will supply transportation to either resort, and get the luggage to the guest's hotel room within an hour.

Without any promotion, the counter drew about 100 visitors per day during the weekend, said Bill Hornbuckle, president of the MGM Grand.

"What better use of your time than being able to come over here and check in instantly?" Hornbuckle said. "Hopefully this will distinguish us from a whole lot of other products in Las Vegas."

Hornbuckle does expect the space to generate some business from passengers who simply walk up to the counter and book rooms at the airport.

"We think that will happen, but the principal reason is convenience (for customers with existing reservations)," Hornbuckle said.

It's something that MGM Grand won't have much competition for, at least not for awhile. Park Place Entertainment Corp. has secured space just two doors down from MGM Grand, and plans to move forward with a check-in center in September, said Randy Walker, Clark County director of aviation.

A third slot is available between the MGM Grand and Park Place spaces, but its visibility from the baggage claim area is almost completely obscured by a 6-foot-wide support column. This column caused Mirage Resorts Inc. to back away from taking the space, Walker said, and makes it unlikely anyone will be interested.

"That's why we went out for competitive bids," Walker said.

The five-year leases will generate a nice revenue stream for the airport -- MGM Grand has agreed to pay $350 per square foot per year for its 500 square feet of space, or about $875,000 over the next five years. Park Place's bid was even higher, at $400 per square foot per year.

MGM Grand will soon have far more than simply the two Tropicana Avenue hotels to worry about -- by year's end, the company is expected to close on its $6.7 billion acquisition of Mirage Resorts. That merger will increase MGM Grand's Strip hotel portfolio from two hotels to six.

But Hornbuckle doesn't expect airport visitors to have the ability to check into the Bellagio, the Mirage, Treasure Island or Golden Nugget once the merger is complete.

"We'll get into that decision later, and see if we can't facilitate that," Hornbuckle said. "But I don't know if we'd be able to accommodate that. I don't know (yet) if I can handle what we already have here."

Similarly, MGM Grand's three-casino complex at Primm 40 miles south of Las Vegas is not involved in the airport check-in program.