Jim Murren, the CEO of MGM Resorts International, is not a major supporter of Donald Trump.
From an op-ed he wrote for USA Today, it was clear that Murren was not going to vote for his party’s candidate. The Republican stated he would cast his vote for the Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton, in November.
Trump was once a significant player in the gaming industry, particularly in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, the two properties he was associated with, Trump Taj Mahal (which closed in October) and Trump Plaza (which closed in 2014), performed terribly. Trump has since lost interest in both.
MGM, naturally, has a significant presence in Nevada and now holds complete ownership of Borgata in AC.
Murren joins the crowd
Murren is just the most recent high-profile Republican to defect to the Clinton camp, at least for the time being.
Considering everything, it’s a fairly harsh critique of Trump.
Murren made it clear on economic matters that, generally, Clinton was better for business.
One candidate strives to foster stability and certainty, attributes that the market appreciates and rewards. Conversely, the other behaves in an erratic and unpredictable manner, characteristics that the market detests and penalizes.
Trump, bad for tourism
Murren did not specifically address casino industry concerns in the context of Trump versus Clinton.
However, he did express his belief that Clinton was more beneficial for the industry as a whole.
Secondly, as the leader of a globally competitive company in the sectors of gaming, hospitality, and tourism, I understand that both from a moral and business perspective, diversity and inclusion are fundamental necessities.
In the gaming industry, minorities make up 45% of our workforce, while women account for nearly half at 48%. As for my company, we boast an ethnically diverse workforce with 66% representation. Clinton is committed to championing the role of women and minorities as vital contributors to the US economy.
Trump, also not great for online gambling?
Sheldon Adelson, Sands CEO, well-known for his opposition to the proliferation of online gambling more than almost anyone else in the country, has been notably associated with Trump.
Mike Pence, Trump’s running mate, also has an inconsistent record on the expansion of gambling.
MGM hasn’t immersed itself deeply in online gambling, however, it has recently launched a sports betting app and slots tournaments in the past few months.
Clinton may be unpredictable on these issues, but she could be more amicable than her Republican counterpart.
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