Mohegan Tribe to End Casino Management in Vegas
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas to Assume Controls
The Mohegan Tribe has managed Virgin Hotels Las Vegas since it first opened in March 2021. That isn’t going to be the case much longer. The two entities announced the Mohegan Tribe to end its casino management role with Virgin at the end of the year. No reason was given as to why the Tribe was stepping down from its management role. The two said the remainder of the year will serve as a transition period. The President of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Cliff Atkinson, will be in charge of the gaming.
“We are grateful for the collaboration with Mohegan, and we will continue to work together to ensure a well-ordered transition of casino operations, this transition is a natural progression in our journey to provide guests of Virgin Hotels Las Vegas with a seamless resort experience.” Atkinson said in a statement.
The Mohegan Tribe said the hotel is in excellent shape moving forward.
“Mohegan’s partnership with Virgin Hotels Las Vegas was, upon inception, and is today in the very best interest of the guests and hardworking team members whose patronage and contributions to the business are deeply appreciated, while Mohegan’s role will come to an end, we are confident that the resort’s unwavering focus on guest and team member satisfaction will continue.” Said Ray Pineault, president and CEO of Mohegan.
There was no announcement regarding the sportsbook at the hotel and if it would change. Betfred Sports currently operates the sportsbook and allows online sports betting through its sports betting app.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is on the site of the old Hard Rock Casino. It made the move from the Hard Rock to Virgin three years ago.
First Commercial Casino to be Managed by an Indian Tribe
The announcement that the Mohegan Tribe to end casino management marks the end of an era. The hotel was the first commercial casino in Las Vegas managed by an Indian Tribe. Virgin couldn’t have asked for a better partner. The Mohegan Sun is one of the most profitable casinos in the country. It’s also one of eight the Tribe owns.
The Tribe also owns the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun basketball team. The team’s home games are played at an arena on the site of the Mohegan Sun casino. There is a FanDuel sportsbook at the Mohegan Sun, so fans can make a wager or futures bet before entering the arena.
The Mohegan Tribe set the groundwork for Indian tribes to manage commercial casinos. Since it managed the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas location, other tribes have stepped into management roles. The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians of California now manages the Palms.
The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Hard Rock International now operates The Mirage. While the Mohegan Tribe ended casino management at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, they did leave a lasting impression on casino management.
The final part of the equation will be state regulators. The Nevada Gaming Commission and Nevada Gaming Control Board have to approve Virgin taking over casino management.
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