MGM Resorts International has appointed a new head of entertainment as part of a push towards more immersive experiences.
Formerly of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Ryan Abboushi has been appointed MGM Resorts International’s new president of entertainment. This comes as part of a strategy shift to strengthen the company as a live entertainment and immersive experiences group, as well as the hospitality foundation it already has.
Some of Abboushi’s duties include venue utilisation, talent booking, show development, and management of key partnerships. However, the thrust of the role will be to scale entertainment offerings throughout MGM’s global properties.
This is echoed by Abboushi’s past work, with CAA being one of the most influential agencies in the entertainment and sports industries.
He has previously worked with various high-profile celebrities, including T.J. Miller, Dave Franco, Miles Teller, Eva Longoria, Natasha Leggero, and Demi Lovato.
For its part, MGM has already hosted major residencies and concerts and hopes to build on that down the line with this new partnership. While no specific have been detailed, the appointment of Abboushi suggests it could include celebrity appearances.
MGM Resorts already has a foundation to work with
This comes after MGM Resorts has already started to consolidate its services into integrated gaming and resort offerings, so that guests can make the most of immersive experiences from within the resort they’re staying in.
For Abboushi, this is expected to begin with evaluating the current entertainment programmes across all of MGM’s global properties and broaching new talent partnerships with high-profile people, with MGM already enjoying ties to celebrities like Jamie Foxx. The role is set to begin on June 16.
MGM Resorts has already underlined its commitment to promoting more responsible gambling, which will surely feed into its future offerings as well.
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
