MGM, Caesars execs. anticipate 2024 Las Vegas F1 race to fall short of last year’s results

During quarterly earnings calls this week, top executives from the Las Vegas Strip’s two largest casino-hotel operators, MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment,  told investors and market analysts that the financial returns from the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix are expected to fall short of the results from last year's debut event. Both companies are anticipating multimillion-dollar year-over-year declines from this year’s race, taking place November 21-23.

However, both operators still see the race as a welcomed addition, attracting affluent customers during a soft period of the calendar. Jonathan Halkyard, Chief Financial Officer for Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts, told investors during Wednesday’s earnings call that "while not as large as last year’s event, (F1) still brings significant economics to MGM during what has historically been one of the slowest weekends of the year."

For his part, Tom Reeg, Chief Executive Officer of Reno-based Caesars Entertainment, said he expects the annual event will continue to drive more visitors to Las Vegas, as reported by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

During a third-quarter earnings call Tuesday, Reeg said 2023’s race gave the company a “$17-$18 million lift” in quarterly EBITDA over the same period in 2022. As for the impact of this year’s race, Reeg said he anticipates returns will be "flat-to-down." He noted, however, that those estimates were “highly dependent” on the gambling numbers, which could fluctuate significantly due to an influx of affluent international gamblers who follow F1.

Tom Reeg

Additionally, Bill Hornbuckle, Chief Executive Officer of MGM Resorts, reaffirmed his position from earlier in the year, in which he suggested hotel room revenue from this year’s event would be down about $30 million compared with 2023.

Over the summer, Hornbuckle said 2024 F1 race weekend sales were "soft" and that some hotel rooms were selling for 50 percent less this year compared with November 2023. "I think we’re still looking at the same number," he said on Wednesday.

Bill Hornbuckle

Hornbuckle said the anticipation for last year’s race led to room rates that were difficult to replicate in year two, particularly at the "Big Three," which are Bellagio, Aria, and The Cosmopolitan. He also noted that an outside entity paid for the Fountain Club in front of the Bellagio Casino Hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard last year while MGM footed the bill for its construction this year.

"And so, you put the combination of those two things together — unless we get really lucky in the casino, and all things can happen — we think that number holds," Hornbuckle said.