Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Brings Operations Together After 69-Day Strike, Rolls Out New Rewards Program

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, newly restructured, is well-positioned for long-term success as it embarks on a new chapter. Since mid-2023, when president Cliff Atkinson came on board, the resort has had the flexibility to transition to a fully integrated operations model.

This move enables a streamlined management approach throughout the entire resort, eliminating the previous model of two separate operators potentially competing against each other within the same resort. As part of those changes, casino operations moved in-house from Mohegan Gaming, and Hilton Hotels is no longer the lodging operator, although the resort is still a Hilton franchise.

The transition follows a 69-day strike that ended on Jan. 22. Over 700 non-gaming employees secured a new contract that brought their wages and benefits in line with other Las Vegas resorts. Reflecting on the experience, Atkinson said, "The strike was difficult to go through, and I don't want to go through that again. But it showed the resolve of the property and the workforce."

During March Madness, Virgin Las Vegas also debuted a new customer loyalty program, Cherry Rewards. The plan is intended to drive guest interaction and increase resort-wide spending. Industry experts say that with unified operations, an empowered workforce, and new guest personnel, the resort will provide a more consistent and competitive guest experience.

The resort's financial condition has also improved after it refinanced $190 million of debt last summer, which had deferred some of the planned operational enhancements. Located just minutes away from Harry Reid International Airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is also preparing for the upcoming opening of a Vegas Loop station to further increase visitors' accessibility.

The resort's financial situation has also improved after it refinanced $190 million of debt last summer, which had postponed some of the anticipated operational upgrades. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, which is just minutes from Harry Reid International Airport and the Las Vegas Convention Center, is also looking toward the opening of a new Vegas Loopstation to accommodate even more visitors.