W Hotel Transition at Mandalay Bay Official

Posted on: December 18, 2024, 09:50h. 

Last updated on: December 19, 2024, 09:50h.

Todd Shriber Read More
Expertise: Financial, Gaming Business, Mergers and Acquisitions.

That was fast. Less than two months after Marriott International and MGM Resorts International announced a plan to turn the Delano at Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip into a W hotel, that transition is officially complete.

Partial removal of the Delano sign at Mandalay Bay. That hotel is now the W. (Image: X/Twitter/@dschwartz99lv)

The property now joins the MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy, which the companies debuted earlier this year. Moving on from the Delano brand to Marriott’s W is another extension of the Marriott/MGM relationship involving two of the biggest names in the travel and leisure industry.

The introduction of W Las Vegas to the MGM Resorts portfolio marks another milestone in the company’s long-term strategic licensing agreement with Marriott International, first announced in 2023. This collaboration unites two hospitality leaders, offering Marriott Bonvoy and MGM Rewards members unprecedented access to both companies’ collections of resorts, along with elevated experiences and unmatched rewards,” according to a press release.

With the W now in the fold, MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy includes a dozen of MGM’s Strip hotels, including venues at Aria, Bellagio, and the Cosmopolitan.

Delano Departed Rapidly

In October, Marriott and MGM announced the plan for the Delano to take the W brand, and that transition took place in rapid fashion.

By early November, signs of the change were evident from the outside of the property. Now the transition is complete. Related to the move to the W brand, rooms at the property will be refreshed while the Delano Beach Club and Skyfall rooftop lounge will also be revamped. The beach club will be called the W Wet Deck while the Skyfall name will remain.

The W will remain a nongaming hotel, but the brand’s arrival on the Las Vegas Strip is sensible because of the brand’s reputation for glitz and luxury. It’s also one with a proclivity for luring the younger customers gaming companies are attempting to capture more business from.

“W Hotels is a brand that is celebrated globally for their unique style and exceptional service, and we can’t wait to see the hotel come to life over the next couple of years, through its distinct personality, dynamic programming and elevated service culture,” said Mandalay Bay COO Travis Lunn in the statement.

MGM Making Other Moves

The gaming company, which is the largest operator on the Strip, is also in the process of rebranding the NoMad at Park MGM. Hilton acquired a majority stake in NoMad operator Sydell Group and announced plans to part ways with the Sin City venue, which was run as a boutique hotel commanding four floors of Park MGM.

While no new Strip casino resorts are expected to open next year, MGM’s hotel changes and enhancements arrive at a time of a flurry of related activity across Las Vegas, indicating operators are willing to allocate capital to staying ahead of their competitors.