NEW YORK & LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) announced today that BREIT and MGM Resorts will form a 95%/5% BREIT-led joint venture to acquire the real estate assets of the Bellagio for $4.25 billion in a sale-leaseback transaction.

As part of the transaction, MGM Resorts will lease the property from the joint venture and continue to manage, operate and be responsible for all aspects of the property on a day-to-day basis. MGM Resorts will sign a long-term lease and continue to be responsible for all operations and capital expenditures of the Bellagio, with the joint venture owning the property and receiving rent payments.

Jon Gray, Blackstone President & COO, said: “As big believers in MGM Resorts and Las Vegas, we are thrilled to partner with MGM to acquire the Bellagio on behalf of our BREIT investors. We look forward to a long and productive partnership with this world-class company.”

Jim Murren, Chief Executive Officer of MGM Resorts, said: “This transaction confirms the premium value of our owned real estate assets, highlights the unique value of Bellagio as a premier asset in gaming and solidifies our status as a premier operator of gaming and entertainment properties. We look forward to partnering with Blackstone on this asset and believe that this transaction will create significant value for our shareholders.”

Blackstone Real Estate has a deep history and expertise in the Las Vegas real estate market across asset classes including office, hospitality and residential.

The sale is expected to close by year end and is subject to customary closing conditions.

Advisors

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP served as legal counsel to MGM Resorts and PJT Advisors and J.P. Morgan served as financial advisors to MGM Resorts. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Morgan Stanley & Co served as financial advisors to BREIT. Morgan Stanley & Co, J.P. Morgan, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. served as BREIT’s financing advisors. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal counsel to BREIT.

About Blackstone Real Estate

Blackstone is a global leader in real estate investing. Blackstone’s real estate business was founded in 1991 and has $154 billion of investor capital under management. Blackstone is one of the largest property owners in the world, owning and operating assets across every major geography and sector, including logistics, multifamily and single family housing, office, hospitality and retail. Blackstone’s opportunistic funds seek to acquire undermanaged, well-located assets across the world. Blackstone’s Core+ strategy invests in substantially stabilized real estate globally through regional open-ended funds focused on high-quality assets, and Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (BREIT), a non-listed REIT, invests in U.S. income-generating assets. Blackstone Real Estate also operates one of the leading global real estate debt businesses, providing comprehensive financing solutions across the capital structure and risk spectrum, including management of Blackstone Mortgage Trust (NYSE: BXMT).

About MGM Resorts International

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 28 unique hotel offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company in 2018 opened MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, MGM COTAI in Macau, and the first Bellagio-branded hotel in Shanghai. The 81,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com.