Two famous global brands are joining forces in what figures to be a boon for West Virginia casino and sportsbook players. Earlier this week, MGM Resorts announced a long-term strategic licensing partnership with Marriott International that will create the “MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy” and provide additional opportunities for collaboration between the two entities.
One of the first initiatives will focus on the creation of lodging options through the partnership. That effort will launch in October and include 17 MGM resorts, with 40,000 rooms in Las Vegas and other US cities.
MGM Resorts’ agreement with Marriott goes from rumor to reality
The MGM and Marriott partnership has been a continuous source of rumor and curiosity since MGM acquired the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas in September 2021. And it gained additional momentum once news broke that MGM was ending its partnership with the Hyatt hotel brand in September.
That cleared the path for the MGM-Marriott marriage. As part of the initial collaboration, several “MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy” resorts will appear as a booking option on Marriott’s websites and the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app. By the end of the year, all 17 joint-venture properties should become available.
Currently, these resorts are already available on MGM’s platforms, such as the MGMRewards site and the MGM Resorts mobile app.
“This historic, long-term agreement brings together two of the most trusted and iconic brands in hospitality and entertainment. We’ve seen first-hand the strong demand from Marriott International customers through our existing relationship at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas,” Bill Hornbuckle, President and CEO of MGM Resorts, said in the news release. “We’re thrilled to now scale the relationship and offer Marriott Bonvoy members greater distribution access to our award-winning resorts – as well as exclusive event and entertainment opportunities – in Las Vegas and across the U.S.”
In addition, users who have a MGM Rewards account will be able to create a link to the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty programs and receive rewards from that brand, as well. Likewise, those with Marriott Bonvoy accounts can link to MGM Rewards.
At present, it is estimated that there are 40 million members of MGM Rewards and 180 million global members with a Marriott Bonvoy account.
Those numbers illustrate the massive impact of the MGM-Marriott partnership – and the potential benefits, too.
“We are excited to make MGM Resorts’ incredible properties available on Marriott channels, allowing our members to enjoy Marriott Bonvoy benefits when they stay at MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy resorts” Anthony Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer of Marriott International, said in the release.
BetMGM brand has an active presence in West Virginia
Many West Virginia players are already familiar with the MGM brand thanks to its BetMGM online casino and sports betting app. The brand launched in West Virginia in 2020 via a partnership with The Greenbrier resort.
In the most recent sports betting revenue totals from May, The Greenbrier (which features the BetMGM, FanDuel and Golden Nugget brands), ranked second among West Virginia operators with over $13 million in total handle.
From a gaming perspective, BetMGM players will certainly notice increased collaboration with the Marriott brand in the months ahead.
Marriott Bonvoy will become BetMGM’s exclusive hospitality partner in the US and Canada. Meanwhile, Marriott Bonvoy members will soon find opportunities to earn Marriott points with certain BetMGM transactions, and can also enjoy exclusive games, experiences and other offers on the BetMGM platform.
In addition, BetMGM Rewards members will soon be able to redeem their points for Marriott Bonvoy points and lodging credits.
In some ways, this will greatly enhance the appeal of BetMGM’s rewards programs by including such a prominent hospitality brand. Marriott Bonvoy has 8,500 properties worldwide and numerous properties throughout the state of West Virginia.
Those locations include the following and more:
- Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place
- Charleston Marriott Town Center
- Courtyard Charleston Downtown/Civic Center
- Residence Inn by Marriott Morgantown
- Springhill Suites by Marriott Morgantown, Wheeling
- Courtyard by Marriott Beckley
- Four Points by Sheraton Charleston
- Residence Inn Charleston
- Fairfield Inn and Suites Lewisburg, Morgantown, Beckley, Weirton
- TownePlace Suites by Marriott Huntington
MGM partnership with Marriott will continue to develop
It is unclear when all facets of the MGM-Marriott partnership will be implemented, but it is certainly reasonable to expect rewards from one entity providing some nice perks with the other. Those will prove to be valuable with gaming activity and overall sports handle increasing when football season arrives.
MGM and Marriott’s joint venture will continue to evolve in the near future with more updates certainly forthcoming. But the early returns suggest that it’s already a big win for both sides.
Stock prices for each company rose in the immediate aftermath of the announcement, with MGM’s stock gaining more than a $1 share and Marriott’s moving up over $2.
The excitement is already building. And soon, the benefits from both brands will reach their respective users.
