Mirage Hotel sold for $1.075B

Hard Rock International to buy The Mirage Hotel & Casino from MGM

MGM Resorts International (MGM) announced an agreement with Hard Rock International to sell the operations of The Mirage Hotel & Casino (“The Mirage”). The deal, which is valued at $1.075 billion in cash. The deal is likely to be completed in the second half of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals.

The Mirage, which was opened in 1989, was acquired by MGM Resorts in 2000. Per the agreement, MGM Resorts will retain “The Mirage name and brand, licensing it to Hard Rock royalty-free for a maximum period of three years while it finalizes its plans to rebrand the property.”

MGM Resorts anticipates net cash proceeds following taxes and estimated fees to be nearly $815 million. 

Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs analyst Stephen Grambling notes that MGM Resorts (MGM) announced it has entered into an agreement to sell the operations of The Mirage to Hard Rock International for $1.075B in cash and $815M after taxes and estimated fees.

Concurrently, VICI Properties (VICI) announced that in connection with the deal, they have agreed to enter into a new separate lease with Hard Rock related to the operations of the Mirage with similar terms as the current MGM Master Lease, Grambling adds, highlighting that VICI has entered into an agreement to purchase MGP, of which MGM is a controlling shareholder.

The analyst believes the deal could be a strategic positive to MGM given the potential to drive deleveraging for the enterprise. He also notes the property had seen improving margins but decelerating growth pre-pandemic, and may require substantial capex to be reinvigorated. The deal therefore would allow MGM to focus on capital allocation elsewhere, the analyst argues. Grambling has a Neutral rating on MGM Resorts with a price target of $49.

CBRE

CBRE analyst John DeCree called this a “record multiple” as well as a “winner, winner, chicken dinner deal for all parties involved, plus some bystanders,” such as Wynn (WYNN) and Caesars (CZR), who have significant Las Vegas exposure.

Mirage sets a new bar for Las Vegas operating company valuation, which makes DeCree tell investors that he “can’t help but get excited about the prospects” for Caesars, which is planning to sell one of its Vegas resorts in early 2022, and Wynn, which “is sitting on what is arguably the most valuable casino resort in Las Vegas, if not the country,” according to the analyst. DeCree has Buy ratings on MGM, Caesars and Wynn shares.

MGM is up $1.26 to $41.60.

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