MGM Resorts International President and CEO Bill Hornbuckle expressed renewed confidence in the city’s economic outlook on Tuesday, telling an audience at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) that Las Vegas remains on course for another period of strong growth despite a recent dip in visitor numbers.

Speaking at a Q&A session held at the Venetian Expo Center, Hornbuckle said the temporary slowdown should not overshadow the city’s long-term resilience or its proven ability to rebound.

Recent figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority show visitation to the city fell nearly 11% through August this year, including a 10% year-over-year decline across June, July, and August. Hornbuckle acknowledged the challenges but pointed to the previous year’s record-breaking performance as evidence of the city’s underlying strength.

He reminded the audience that 2024 ranked among the most profitable years in the city’s history, driven by global events such as Super Bowl 58 and the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, which helped deliver the Strip’s second-highest revenue year on record. “It’s just the nature of the beast,” Hornbuckle said when asked if people had already forgotten the momentum of the previous year.

Looking to the coming year, Hornbuckle projected that Las Vegas’ extensive lineup of conventions and trade shows would help lift visitation and spending. “As I look to the future, I think about, literally, the next 16 months are going to be the best convention months this city has ever had or ever seen,” he said. “We remain bullish on Las Vegas. Fundamentally, I don’t think it’s broken in any way, shape or form.”

Hornbuckle also addressed recent concerns from gamblers following the reduction of the federal deduction for gambling losses to 90 percent under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed earlier this year. Despite the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, he said he expects the deduction to return to its original level. “It’s going back to 100 percent,” he noted.

On the operational side, Hornbuckle discussed MGM’s use of artificial intelligence, particularly in its customer service operations. The company’s call center, which once employed about 400 people, now operates with fewer than 100, he said. However, Hornbuckle stressed that while AI has improved efficiency, it cannot fully replace the human connection that defines hospitality.

As a member of the U.S. Travel Association’s board, Hornbuckle also commented on national tourism policies, saying some recent measures have dampened travel enthusiasm despite infrastructure investments included in the same legislative package.

“It’s kind of fascinating what the (President Donald Trump) administration has done, and time and time (again) continues to do, is we’ll take two steps forward (and then take one step back),” he said.