Published on: December 19, 2025, 07:31h.

Updated on: December 19, 2025, 07:31h.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The series “Vegas Myths Busted” unveils fresh insights every Monday, complemented by a special Flashback Friday edition. Today’s myth buster was originally published on October 7, 2022.

A prevalent myth in Las Vegas suggests that visitors entered the MGM Grand through the open mouth of the iconic lion statue. In fact, even the esteemed Las Vegas Sun referred to this myth in March 2001, labeling the entrance as “A massive lion head with its gaping mouth serving as the gateway.” As depicted in the image below, this claim is far from accurate.

This lion mouth myth is relatively easy to debunk, particularly because it was initially propagated by the hotel’s corporate management and later perpetuated by journalists who failed to verify facts. Terry Lanni, the MGM Grand CEO who took office in 1995, often pointed to the misrepresentation of the lion’s mouth as a significant example of corporate disregard for cultural sensitivities.

Many Chinese gamblers hold the belief that passing through a lion’s mouth — even a sculpted one — could usher in bad luck, albeit not as grave as being engulfed by a real lion, presumably. Nonetheless, it’s a concern.

“It wasn’t literally accurate (that they entered through the lion’s mouth),” stated former MGM Mirage communications director Alan Feldman in an interview with Casino.org. “However, numerous patrons sensed it had similar negative connotations, hence avoided that entry.”

In a 2014 blog post titled “Vital Vegas,” Casino.org contributor Scott Roeben explored eight intriguing superstitions followed by Chinese gamblers that Las Vegas casinos respect to cater to their wealthy players from China. These beliefs explain why certain casino hotels, like the Rio and Encore, intentionally skip floors 40-49 due to the number 4 being synonymous with death in both Chinese and Japanese cultures.

Lion in Waiting

In 1998, Lanni replaced the original lion with the current one designed by Snellen Maurice Johnson, a reformed artist with a past criminal record.

This new lion, hailed as the second-largest bronze statue on Earth — following a 90-foot Buddha in Hong Kong — stands 45 feet tall, weighs in at 50 tons, and is elevated upon a 25-foot pedestal.

It’s worth mentioning that the lion’s name is not Leo. The original MGM Grand lion bore that name, inspired by the iconic lion that roars at the start of MGM films. (Interestingly, 11 different lions played the role, with the first named Slats, but let’s focus on one myth at a time.)

Currently, this MGM Grand lion is simply known as the Grand Lion.

Aside from substituting the lions, Lanni also removed the MGM Grand’s original Wizard of Oz section and amusement park, revamped several dining options, and introduced The Mansion, a collection of 29 uniquely designed Mediterranean-style residences.

Feldman added another reason behind the removal of the initial MGM Grand lion, one firmly rooted in objective facts.

“It also had an unappealing aesthetic,” he remarked.

Look forward to new entries in “Vegas Myths Busted” every Monday on Casino.org. To explore previously debunked Vegas myths, visit VegasMythsBusted.com. Have a suggestion for a Vegas myth you’d like to see addressed? Reach out at [email protected].