LAS VEGAS, Sept. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Building on
its long-standing commitment to diversity and philanthropy, MGM
Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) today announced a $1 million donation to the Smithsonian
Institution's National Museum of African American History and
Culture (NMAAHC). The gift will support the construction of the
Smithsonian's 19th museum, scheduled to open in 2016.
"We are honored to have the support of MGM Resorts International
as we draw closer to the opening of the museum," said Lonnie G. Bunch III, Founding Director of
NMAAHC. "The support of MGM Resorts International helps to ensure
that our museum on the national mall will help the millions who
visit, see and understand America's history through an African
American lens."
Currently under construction on a five-acre site adjacent to the
Washington Monument, the nearly 400,000-square-foot museum will be
a place where Americans can learn about the richness and diversity
of the African American experience. Since its start in 2003, NMAAHC
has built a collection of more than 30,000 objects covering major
periods of African American history, beginning with the origins in
Africa and continuing through
slavery, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance, the great
migrations north and west and into the 21st century.
"MGM Resorts is proud to support the Smithsonian's addition of
this museum in honor and celebration of the unique role of African
Americans in the evolution of America into the great nation that it
is today," said Jim Murren, Chairman
and CEO of MGM Resorts International. "The NMAAHC is a living
symbol of our company's and country's commitment to the foundation
of diversity that is our national heritage, and the vision of
inclusion that is our company's aspiration for the future,"
continued Murren, a recipient of CR Magazine's
Responsible CEO of the Year Award.
MGM Resorts International is building a world-class destination
resort in the Washington, D.C.
area – MGM National Harbor – that is expected to open in the second
half of 2016. Located on the Potomac River just south of the
National Mall and the NMAAHC in neighboring Prince George's County, Md., the fully
integrated resort is designed to reflect the history and heritage
of the Capital Region.
Once operational, the team of about 3,600 employees will embody
MGM's values and continue its deep commitment to the principles of
diversity and community engagement. MGM is already off to a strong
start in the region, and has more than 100 Minority Business
Enterprises (MBEs), certified by the State of Maryland, engaged in the design and
construction phase of the MGM National Harbor project. Also, the
goals for MBE participation outlined in the Community Benefits
Agreement with the County are consistently being met and exceeded.
Furthermore, MGM National Harbor is investing in the local
communities, with a philanthropic pledge to donate $1 million dollars to nonprofit organizations in
the County before the resort opens.
MGM Resorts International has shown a powerful commitment to the
fundamental principles of diversity and philanthropy since its
inception. From spending more than $3
billion with diverse-owned suppliers and contractors since
2002 to marshaling its employees to donate more than 1.6 million
pounds of food last year, and volunteering more than 170,000 hours
to community agencies, social responsibility is foundational to MGM
Resorts' culture.
For more information about MGM Resorts International's
commitment to diversity and philanthropy, or to learn more about
MGM National Harbor, please visit: www.mgmresorts.com.
About the Museum
The National Museum of African
American History and Culture was established by an Act of Congress
through legislation signed into law in 2003 by President
George W. Bush. It will be the
nation's largest and most comprehensive cultural institution
devoted exclusively to exploring and documenting the African
American story and its impact on American history. While the museum
is under construction, it is offering scholarly programs, designing
exhibitions, building collections and publishing books.
Its current exhibition, "Changing America: The Emancipation
Proclamation, 1863 and The March on Washington, 1963" explores the impact of those
two milestones in American history and is on view through
Sept. 7 in the museum's temporary
gallery in the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.
For more information, visit the museum's website at
nmaahc.si.edu.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts
International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world's leading global
hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort
brands including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage.
The Company is in the process of developing MGM National Harbor in
Maryland and MGM Springfield in
Massachusetts. The Company also owns 51 percent of MGM China
Holdings Limited, which owns the MGM Macau resort and casino and is
developing a gaming resort in Cotai, and 50 percent of CityCenter
in Las Vegas, which features ARIA
Resort & Casino. For more information about MGM Resorts
International, visit the Company's website at
www.mgmresorts.com.
Footnote: As of the June 30, 2015
filed GOMA Report, there are 106 Minority Business Enterprises
(MBEs) certified by the State of
Maryland, who are working on the construction phase of the
MGM National Harbor project.
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SOURCE MGM Resorts International