Last-minute Las Vegas tourists face hurdles for MGM hotel bookings amid cyber breach

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - There is a surefire way to book a room reservation amid the cyber chaos inflicted on MGM Resorts and its online and phone systems: walk into the hotel and ask for a reservation at the front desk.

Friday, just in time for the typical tourism rush, the company’s website reappeared, but stated “Online hotel reservations are currently unavailable. For hotel reservations arriving September 13-17, 2023, we understand your travel plans may have changed, so we are waiving change and cancellations fees,” the site said.

The site promised new room reservations via third-party bookings starting September 15. Overnight Saturday brought the return of several properties with limited options to major sites such as Expedia, Priceline and Booking.com.

Phone calls to the company’s main hotline or individual properties led to disconnections or recorded messages. A spokesperson did not have a timeframe for repairs.

A FOX5 crew member attempted to book at NYNY and could successfully do so in-person at the reservations counter.

Scenes at various properties at front desks looked far more normal for a busy weekend. Customers with reservations could proceed as normal, though some reported problems with room keys or a need for a manual key.

“Although something may be working at one property, other properties may not have that part fixed yet,” said Jacob Orth of Jacobs Life in Vegas. He has been documenting the aftermath of the cyber breach by hackers on his Instagram and social media pages.

Orth said the biggest concerns come from gaming players. “Understandably, some people are concerned about their play. A lot of concerns about having their tier credits checked,” Orth said.

MGM’s website said the following: “Member’s gaming and non-gaming spend will be recorded and Tier Credits and any changes to your Tier Status will be reflected on your account when our systems are back online. If a ticket is not accepted at the slot machine it can be redeemed at our Casino Cashier,” it said.

The FAQ page addressed privacy concerns. “Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working diligently to evaluate the scope and nature of the issue. At this time, we do not have additional information available to share,” it said.

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