William J. Hornbuckle IV (born September 1, 1957) is an American businessman who has served as Chief Executive Officer and President of MGM Resorts International since July 2020, having been Acting CEO from March 2020. He is also Chairman of the Board of MGM China Holdings and a director on the CityCenter JV Board and Las Vegas Stadium Authority.
Hornbuckle began his hospitality career as a bartender at age 18 in Connecticut, then moved to Las Vegas, earning a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from UNLV. He started in Las Vegas as a room service attendant and busboy at the Jockey Club, then became assistant hotel manager at the Flamingo Hilton. He spent many years at Golden Nugget and was part of the opening team of The Mirage in 1989. He later served as President and COO of Caesars Palace before joining MGM Resorts in 1998.
At MGM, he held roles including EVP of Operations at MGM Grand, COO of MGM Grand, President and COO of Mandalay Bay, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Operating Officer. He led development of properties including MGM National Harbor, MGM Springfield, and T‑Mobile Arena. He also oversaw the creation of the M life Rewards loyalty program and expansion into iGaming and sports betting via BetMGM.
Hornbuckle is leading MGM’s integrated resort project in Osaka, Japan, and played a key role in bringing the Raiders NFL team and the WNBA Aces to Las Vegas.
Career History
| Company | Role | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| MGM Grand Las Vegas | Executive Vice President of Operations | 1998-01-01 – 1998-01-01 |
| MGM Grand Las Vegas | Chief Operating Officer | 1998-01-01 – 2001-01-01 |
| Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino | President & Chief Operating Officer | 2005-01-01 – 2009-01-01 |
| MGM Resorts | Chief Marketing Officer | 2009-01-01 – 2012-01-01 |
| MGM Resorts | Acting Chief Executive Officer and President | 2020-01-01 – 2020-01-01 |
| MGM Resorts | Chief Operating Officer | 2019-01-01 – 2020-01-01 |
| MGM Grand Inc. | CEO | – present |
| MGM Resorts International (Bellagio) | Chief Executive Officer and President | – present |
| MGM Resorts | Chief Executive Officer and President | – present |