LAS VEGAS, NV (June 20, 2022) – Oak View Group (OVG), the global venue development, advisory, and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries, today announced the appointments of seasoned casino/resort executive Randy Morton as president, OVG Las Vegas hotel & casino; and veteran sports industry executive and former president of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders Marc Badain as president, OVG Las Vegas sports & entertainment venues. The pair will be responsible for overseeing the development of building an integrated NBA-ready arena and resort in Las Vegas and work for the Joint Venture of partners of the project where OVG is the managing partner. Also joining the team is Patrick Crockett as hotel-casino financial consultant. All will be based in Las Vegas with Crockett reporting to Badain and Morton.
“Our Las Vegas project represents a critical first-step for OVG in seamlessly integrating the greatest in new and innovative hotel and casino offerings with the best in arena development and live entertainment,” said Tim Leiweke, chairman & CEO of Oak View Group. “This unprecedented project is an industry game-changer, but to do it right, that means putting the best team in place.”
“I’m thrilled to join the team at Oak View Group and work alongside Marc,” said Morton. “As soon as Tim shared his vision for the Las Vegas luxury boutique hotel and casino with me, not only did I know it was going to be big, but I knew I wanted to be involved.”
Morton, most known in for his time as president and chief operating officer (COO) of Bellagio Resort & Casino, was most recently the co-CEO of the Foley Entertainment Group. He joined MGM MIRAGE in 2000 as vice president of hotel operations for Bellagio, where he led the property to receive the prestigious AAA Five Diamond Award from 2002 to the present. Under his direction, Bellagio became the first Las Vegas casino-hotel and the largest hotel ever to receive this award. Prior to Bellagio, as president of Monte Carlo Resort, Morton successfully managed several high-profile enhancements to the property. Morton began his career with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts where he held executive positions at several Resorts across the continental United States, Hawaii, and Canada. Trustee of the Vegas Golden Knights Alumni Association working alongside organization president, Deryk Engelland. Morton is a graduate of George Brown College in Toronto, Canada.
A highly respected sports executive, Badain joins the company as president, OVG Las Vegas sports & entertainment from the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders where he oversaw the entirety of the club’s business operations including the relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas and the successful completion of Allegiant Stadium.
Badain commented, “Adding Randy to the team continues to show the commitment that Tim and Oak View Group have made to this transformative project.”
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Badain earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Emory University and received his MBA from the University of California’s Walter A. Haas School of Business in 2001. Badain is a member of the Board of Directors of the Biletnikoff Foundation, University of Nevada Sports Management Executive Board, Las Vegas Bowl Committee, Gridiron Greats, and Opportunity Village.
“Marc, Randy, and Patrick’s leadership, robust experience, and proven track records will be instrumental in helping bring our vision to life,” said Francesca Bodie, president of business development, Oak View Group. “Each understand what it takes to develop, build, and open a world-class entertainment destination and we couldn’t be more delighted to welcome them aboard.”
Before joining OVG, Crockett most recently served as senior vice president of finance at the Wynn Macau resort in Macau, China, where he worked since 2013. Prior to then, Crockett worked in various finance leadership roles with MGM MIRAGE at CityCenter, Bellagio, and The Mirage. Crockett holds two bachelor’s degrees in corporate finance and accounting, respectively, from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Designed by global industry-leading architecture firms Gensler and Populous, the state-of-the-art privately financed sports and entertainment arena will set a new global standard for events in Las Vegas and represent OVG’s biggest project to date.
The three appointments come on the heels of OVG’s recent opening of Moody Center, its $375M, 15,000+ seat premier venue at the University of Texas in Austin, TX; the launch of its newest division, OVG Canada; and the groundbreaking of the city-owned Baltimore Arena, a $200 million privately funded, 12-month redevelopment project of the 60-year-old arena, formerly known as the Baltimore Civic Center and Royal Farms Arena.
The newly planned entertainment district on Las Vegas Boulevard South Blvd. includes an 850,000 square foot arena, a casino, a hotel, and an additional entertainment venue amphitheater and sits on 25 acres as part of a 66-acre plot. Featuring as many as 20,000+ seats and modern amenities that will include suites, and premium hospitality clubs, the arena will host live events including concerts, sporting events, family entertainment, as well as conventions, large meetings, international events, as well as award shows, exhibitions, and more. With a focus on the prioritization of technology, sustainability, and green initiatives, the construction of Las Vegas’ new world-class arena is expected to create thousands of permanent and temporary jobs for the surrounding community.
Groundbreaking and construction for the estimated $3B point of destination entertainment district and arena are scheduled for 2023.
