MGM Mirage announced that is has resigned from the Nevada Resort Association, the casino industry’s main lobbying voice in the state legislature.

The company said the decision to leave was financial, not political, but it did not disclose how much it pays in association dues.

“These are difficult economic times and we’re watching our dollars very carefully,” said MGM Mirage spokesman Gordon Absher. “We appreciate (Resort Association President) Bill Bible’s efforts and everything he and his team have done.”

MGM Mirage left the resort association for a year following the 2003 legislative session when a broad-based business tax plan was shot down. At the time, the move was seen as political, but the company said it was simply focusing on its own lobbying efforts.

By Casino Connection Staff