MGM Mirage, citing irreconcilable differences, resigned Wednesday from the Nevada Resort Association, the Nevada Development Authority and the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. MGM Mirage Chairman Terry Lanni said that as the largest taxpayer and largest private employer in Nevada, his company is confident it can pursue its own political agenda more effectively than it can by relying on trade associations.
Lanni said the NRA, the NDA and the Chamber of Commerce were "not representing our company's interest" during the just completed legislative session.
"They're welcome to their perceptions, but we're not going to fund them," he said.
MGM Mirage currently pays $500,000 for its membership in the NRA, $125,000 for the Chamber of Commerce and $10,000 for the NDA.
Lanni said MGM Mirage will not review its relationship with vendors based on their membership in the three organizations, as Station Casinos said it would when it recently resigned from the Chamber of Commerce.
However, he said MGM Mirage would review the positions vendors took in lobbying on tax policy and consider changing its relationships with companies that supported taxes on the gaming industry while opposing paying taxes themselves.
SOURCE:
Review Journal.
