MGM MIRAGE Announces Commitment to 'Rebuild and Rebuild Quickly' in Biloxi, Mississippi
09 September 2005 - 12:01AM
PR Newswire (US)
- All Employees Will Retain Benefits and Payroll for 90 Days With
Commitment to Rehire When Resort Reopens LAS VEGAS, Sept. 8
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MGM MIRAGE announced today that plans for
recovery and rebuilding its Beau Rivage Resort in Biloxi, MS are
underway. As the assessment process has begun, the company will
commit to rebuild the resort, utilize employees in recovery and
reconstruction wherever possible and aid impacted employees. MGM
MIRAGE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Lanni and other
senior executives toured the Beau Rivage site on Tuesday,
evaluating damage with experts, discussing recovery strategies and
meeting with impacted employees as they picked up payroll checks
and information on benefit adjustments enacted to aid their plight.
"Viewing the devastation is something I will never forget," said
Mr. Lanni. "What has happened to this community is unimaginable,
but we are committed to our employees and neighbors." Recovery and
Rebuilding Bobby Baldwin, President and CEO of Mirage Resorts, who
also toured the damaged resort on Tuesday said, "We plan to rebuild
and rebuild quickly. While we will take the time necessary to
carefully assess the situation, we are also dedicated to
identifying the fastest way to rebuild and restart the Gulf Coast
economy and the lives of our employees and their community." To
date, MGM MIRAGE has invested some $800 million in Beau Rivage. The
resort is considered by many the crown jewel of the Gulf Coast
gaming industry. With the announced rebuilding program, MGM MIRAGE
will have invested more than $1 billion in the Gulf Coast region
once the hotel re-opens. Workers have already cleared most of the
mud and debris from Beau Rivage so assessment of the structural
integrity and essential systems such as electricity, plumbing and
HVAC can begin. "Massive numbers of man-hours and labor will be
required to restore Beau Rivage and the Biloxi area in general,"
said Mr. Baldwin. "We plan to utilize Beau Rivage employees
wherever possible." Already more than 70 employees have been
repositioned to recovery jobs with contractors performing the
initial restoration activities. "We currently have 300 such
positions available and will continue to fill these with our
employees wherever possible," Mr. Baldwin noted. Employee
Assistance During the height of Hurricane Katrina, MGM MIRAGE
positioned staff in four states preparing recovery efforts in
anticipation of the storm's passing. In addition to call centers
and a check-in website established last week to answer employee
questions, Tuesday saw the opening of the Beau Rivage Recovery
Center on the grounds of the Beau Rivage employee parking lot.
Payroll checks are being distributed from the Recovery Center to
employees still in the area. Checks are being shipped overnight to
those who cannot pick them up in person. "We've been able to open a
Dining Hall that is serving meals to employees and their families.
We will continue to increase the quality and capacity of our
assistance as local infrastructure permits. We expect to triple the
number of meals we can serve in the next few days," said Mr.
Baldwin. A Job Center to match available workers with open
positions at other MGM MIRAGE properties will soon be up and
running at the same location. "For any employees who wish to
relocate, we will absorb as many employees as possible into our
Nevada operations," Mr. Baldwin said. All appropriate remaining
items in Beau Rivage retail warehouses, i.e. clothing, will be
distributed to employees and their families. Employment Beau Rivage
employees have remained on payroll with full benefits since the
closure of the resort more than a week ago. There has been no
interruption in payroll or benefits. With regard to future
employment status, Mr. Lanni announced a commitment to pay
employees for 90 days from today. "We have determined that we will
be able to extend payroll and benefits to our 3,400 Beau Rivage
employees for an additional 90 days," he said. "This includes all
earned vacation, including additional vacation earned during the
next 90 days as well as continuation of full health insurance for
those 90 days. Finally, we are committed to rehiring all Beau
Rivage employees when the resort reopens." Adjustments in employee
benefits also have been made to aid employees through the disaster.
Co-payments on medical, dental and prescription drug claims are
being waived. "Out of Network" restrictions on doctors and
pharmacies have been lifted so employees can seek medical attention
and fill needed prescriptions in whatever community they have found
shelter. The company also will continue to provide 401K matching
contributions during this period. Extending efforts beyond
employees and into the Biloxi community, MGM MIRAGE has announced
all outstanding vendor invoices will be honored in full. Employee
Contributions MGM MIRAGE announced a $1 million seed donation to
the company's employee-funded Voice Foundation. The company also
will match, without limit, dollar-for-dollar every employee
donation made by its 70,000 member workforce through the end of the
year. These funds will be devoted to Beau Rivage employees and
their families to aid in their efforts directed at their long-term
recovery needs. "The gaming industry completely turned around the
Gulf Coast economy over the past decade. This region will continue
to look to our industry to create economic activity. We plan to
uphold our commitment to these communities in this extraordinary
time of need," Mr. Lanni said. Beau Rivage employees are encouraged
to call the Beau Rivage Recovery Center at 866-368-7399 to check in
and access special payroll and benefit information. DATASOURCE: MGM
MIRAGE CONTACT: James Murren, President and Chief Financial
Officer, +1-702-693-8877, or Alan Feldman, Senior Vice President of
Public Affairs, +1-702-891-7147, both of MGM MIRAGE
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