by Brianna Crandall — September 6, 2013—Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, the resort-style MGM Grand Detroit hotel and casino has completed the light-emitting diode (LED) lamp retrofit of its 61-acre parking garage. Cited as one of the nation’s largest LED parking garage makeovers, the three-month installation boasts 3,117 LED lamps and is expected to reduce the garage’s annual energy use by 80 percent at the Four Diamond, Las Vegas-style destination resort.
“As a property fully committed to the fundamental principles of environmental stewardship, we are proud to complete the LED lamp installation and further minimize MGM Grand Detroit’s energy consumption,” said Steve Zanella, President and COO of MGM Grand Detroit. “Like many of our conservation initiatives, this renovation is a win-win for us and the environment. This project reflects our high regard for the planet, but it also ensures that MGM Grand Detroit is meeting our customers’ desire to be more environmentally conscious with their meetings, conventions, and travel.”
MGM Grand Detroit reminds that LED technology is one of the highest-performing currently available methods of lighting, and that energy savings of 50 to 80 percent are common when compared to the lamps that are typically used in garages. LED lamps also have much longer operating lives, resulting in fewer materials and transportation resources needed over time. The MGM Grand Detroit LED retrofit is expected to save enough electricity to power more than 350 average homes per year.
As a part of the MGM Resorts Green Advantage sustainability platform, MGM Grand Detroit’s newly refurbished parking garage is one of many energy conservation projects underway by MGM Resorts. Earlier this year, the company installed 1,600 induction technology lighting fixtures covering 160 acres of open lot parking area at its resorts in Las Vegas. The lamps, ideal for the hot Las Vegas climate and with an operating life of up to 20 years, are expected to save an estimated 2.7 million kWh annually. MGM Resorts also plans to install one of the largest rooftop solar photovoltaic arrays in the world at the Mandalay Bay Resort Convention Center. The 6.2 MW installation will be the company’s first commercial solar project in the United States and is projected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 1,000 homes.
The opulent $800 million MGM Grand Detroit, developed by MGM MIRAGE, is reportedly the first-ever Las Vegas-style destination to open in a major metropolitan core. Delivering over 4,000 of the latest slots and video poker, over 90 table games, luxury rooms and suites, celebrity chef restaurants, the only resort-style spa in southeast Michigan, and 30,000 sq. ft. of meeting and convention space, MGM Grand Detroit is considered the ultimate hotel and entertainment destination in the state. The facility is also one of the top employers in the area, with approximately 3,000 team members.
