Miami-based Virgin Hotels on Tuesday named Mary Giuliano as managing director at the Hard Rock Las Vegas. She will oversee the transition of the off-Las Vegas Strip resort into the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.
Giuliano, who is the first female managing director for a Virgin Hotels brand property, until recently served as general manager of Vdara, a 1,500-room non-gaming, all-suite hotel operated by MGM Resorts International that is part of the CityCenter development.
Mary Giuliano
The Hard Rock on Paradise Road, just east of the Las Vegas Strip, will operate under its current name until February, when it will be closed and rebranded as a Virgin property. The reopening is planned for November 2020.
Guest rooms, restaurants and public spaces – including the five-acre pool area and 60,000-square-foot casino – will undergo an extensive facelift. New nightlife venues and Virgin’s flagship restaurant, bar and lounge, Commons Club, will be added, along with 110,000 square feet of newly renovated meeting, event and convention spaces.
According to public statements from property executives, the cost of the remodeling is $200 million.
Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal said in a statement Tuesday the property’s new managing director needed to have both “immense hospitality experience” and a knowledge of Las Vegas.
“As a long time Vegas resident with 25 years of experience working in the hotel, gaming, and entertainment sectors, Mary is uniquely qualified to help transition the property into a world class Virgin Hotels experience,” Leal said.
According to the statement, Vdara produced top line revenue exceeding $125 million during Giuliano’s time at the non-gaming resort. She also repositioned the business model of the property from condo-hotel to luxury boutique hotel. Giuliano has also held leadership roles at MGM Resorts, Treasure Island and CityCenter.
The Hard Rock Las Vegas opened in 1995 and has undergone several remodeling efforts and expansions. The popular Joint nightclub was added in 2009.
Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgamingreports.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.
