MGM Resorts International’s Tom Fazio-designed masterpiece garners second honor from respected travel publication
BILOXI, Miss. – April 13, 2011 – Coming off another successful week playing host to the legends of the game at the Champions Tour’s Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, Fallen Oak earned another award as the readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine selected the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino as one of the Top 125 Golf Resorts 2011.
The honor is the second consecutive one from the respected travel publication, which came through its annual Readers’ Choice Survey of nearly 26,000 online respondents. Those reader respondents rated courses and resorts from “excellent” to “poor” on eight criteria: Course Design & Access, Golf Staff & Services, Rooms, Service, Food/Dining, Location, Overall Design and Activities/Facilities.
In the geographic rankings, Beau Rivage was ranked 9th among the 20 ranked resorts in the Southern United States with an overall average score of 86.0 – a 1½ -point boost from its initial rating in the 2010 survey. It earned two scores above 90 – 92.5 in both Course Design & Access and Golf Staff & Services. Both of those were a two-point improvement from 2010.
“The properties on the following pages marry outstanding golf with fantastic lodging, dining and service. For the avid – or casual – golfer, that’s a match made in heaven,” reads the story, which can be found in the publication’s April issue.
This latest award not only comes on the heels of Fallen Oak playing host to the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic for the second time – which impressed many of the game’s legends during its debut in 2010 by its design, challenge and playability – but on the heels of Golfweek ranking Fallen Oak No. 45 on its “Top 100 Modern Courses” list for 2011 and naming Fallen Oak the No. 1 Course You Can Play in the state of Mississippi for the third consecutive year.
“Our goal with Fallen Oak was to create a total and complete golf and resort experience for our guests, “said George P. Corchis Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Resorts International’s Regional Operations. “Receiving this recognition from Conde Nast Traveler is very significant because it comes from the magazine’s readers, who are among the most sophisticated and passionate travelers in the world.”
Beau Rivage was the only Mississippi resort represented on the 125-resort list, which is the publication’s 15th-annual directory of the elite golf resorts, both in the United States and internationally.
It ranked ahead of such prestigious PGA TOUR host properties as the storied Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, GA. (No. 13) and the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas outside of Dallas (No. 15)
“In order to build a terrific golf course, it should be visually appealing and maybe even slightly intimidating, but yet at the same time, play extremely fair. And Fazio pulled it off at Fallen Oak,” said Champions Tour player and 2008 United States Ryder Cup Captain Paul Azinger.
Both readers of Conde Nast Traveler and the Champions Tour pros recognized the elements that make Fallen Oak special. Joining the heralded Shadow Creek as the only golf courses built by MGM Resorts International for their guests, Fallen Oak is located on a 510-acre tract at the edge of the DeSoto National Forest.
Stretching to a hearty 7,487 yards from the back tees, Fallen Oak offers golfers five sets of tees and strategic play options as each hole winds through ever-changing terrain and environments.
Fallen Oak is available exclusively for guests of Beau Rivage. Greens fees for this elite MGM Resorts golf experience are $200. To make reservations, call (877) 805-4657 or visit www.beaurivage.com.
About Beau Rivage
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, named one of the top 100 hotels in the continental United States and Canada by Travel + Leisure, is located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The resort features 1,740 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites, 10 restaurants, four nightclubs and bars, a 1,550-seat theatre, an upscale shopping promenade, a world-class spa & salon and Fallen Oak, a Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course. Beau Rivage is a wholly owned subsidiary of MGM Resorts International, one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies. For more information or to make reservations, call (888) 56-ROOMS or visit www.beaurivage.com.
About Fazio Golf Course Designers
Throughout his 40 years in golf course design, Tom Fazio and his staff of talented designers have been recognized for creating award-winning courses throughout the United States. No living designer has more credits on Golf Digest’s list of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses and Golfweek’s collection of America’s Best. The Golf Digest poll for Best Modern Day Golf Course Architect was discontinued after Tom claimed the award three consecutive times, and he has also received The Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
About MGM Resorts International
MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is one of the world’s leading global hospitality companies, operating a peerless portfolio of destination resort brands, including Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and The Mirage. The Company has significant holdings in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, owns and operates 15 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi and Michigan, and has 50% investments in four other properties in Nevada, Illinois and Macau. One of those investments is CityCenter, an unprecedented urban resort destination on the Las Vegas Strip featuring its centerpiece ARIA Resort & Casino. Leveraging MGM Resorts’ unmatched amenities, the M life loyalty program delivers one-of-a-kind experiences, insider privileges and personalized rewards for guests at the Company’s renowned properties nationwide. Through its hospitality management subsidiary, the Company holds a growing number of development and management agreements for casino and non-casino resort projects around the world. MGM Resorts International supports responsible gaming and has implemented the American Gaming Association’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Gaming at its gaming properties. The Company has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions for its industry-leading Diversity Initiative, its community philanthropy programs and the Company’s commitment to sustainable development and operations. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company’s Web site at www.mgmresorts.com.
Contact:
Mary Cracchiolo Spain
Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
(228) 386-7134
Brian Robin
Brener Zwikel & Associates, Inc.
(818) 462-5610
