MGM Resorts International has one of the world’s largest art collections, much of it publicly available and helping to create unique experiences and moments, MGM CEO Jim Murren says.
Murren studied art history in college and in Europe, and says he was inspired to become a painter by his mother, also an artist. He says art, like Las Vegas and the hospitality industry, seeks to create new experiences and moments, while inspiring new ideas.
The city’s founding members always had an interest in the arts, and MGM is elevating that interest with its support of the arts, which the Bliss Dance sculpture best represents.
MGM incorporated many artistic concepts and works into its CityCenter development, its Mansion at the MGM features many rare and valuable works that only invited guests can view, and the Bellagio hosted its Gallery of Fine Art since before MGM bought the resort in 2000.
MGM’s permanent collection at CityCenter is considers the city’s first major collection dedicated to public space and ranks among the largest collections owned by a corporation anywhere in the world.
The CityCenter collection has included a variety of works by many world-renowned artists, including Maya Lin, James Turrell, Frank Stella, Nancy Rubins, Coosje van Bruggen, Henry Moore, Claes Oldenburg, Richard Long, Jenny Holzer, and others.
Murren says since opening the CityCenter in 2009, its collection of commissioned and purchased works has tripled in value, with some works now worth up to five times what MGM initially paid.
Murren estimates at least 15 works are valued at more than $1 million, and the Bellagio’s Picasso restaurant alone has a collection of Picasso works valued at more than $30 million.
Murren says he want MGM to commission more works by Turrell, whom Murren considers to be the best living U.S. artist and envisions creating an artificial sky and stars over the Las Vegas Strip using a combination of artificial and ambient light.
Murren says such a work would be a sensation and generate a great deal of social media buzz, resulting in more people coming to see the latest of MGM’s publicly available artwork.
In the meantime, Murren says MGM’s Bliss Dance sculpture at The Park has become a focal point for gathering and meeting others before heading to a show at T-Mobile Arena, dining at one of the many local restaurants, or multitude of other potential activities.
While MGM’s collection is designed to attract more visitors, locals can view them as well, and it won’t cost anything to park, at least for a while.
MGM is initiating its parking fees in June but says locals can scan their Nevada driver’s licenses for up to 24 hours of free parking. A machine will read the smaller of two bar codes on the back of Nevada licenses, which tells the gate to open.
MGM says drivers won’t have to insert their licenses for them to be read, and the company won’t retain any information obtained by scanning the licenses. It only wants to affirm drivers are Nevada residents before the parking gate goes up.
