Jim Murren’s promotion to president and chief operating officer of MGM Mirage didn’t get much attention when it occurred last summer.

He started with the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer after a 14-year Wall Street career. In 1999, he was named president and chief financial officer, and he is a member of MGM Mirage’s board of directors and its executive committee.

A strong believer in philanthropy, Murren and his wife, Heather, founded the Nevada Cancer Institute, a nonprofit institution dedicated to providing a cancer center for the state. He also serves as a trustee for foundations at the University of Nevada, Reno, and UNLV.

Murren talked with In Business Las Vegas about several of his company’s recent deals, including Macau.

Question: You have a new title since the last time we talked with you. What are your new responsibilities?

Answer: As president and chief operating officer of the company, my principal responsibilities are the oversight of the majority of our properties at MGM Mirage. What that means is that most of the operating units, all of the Las Vegas properties with the exception of Monte Carlo and the Bellagio, our interests in Borgata, our interests up north in Reno, our casino in Detroit and in Biloxi all report directly to me. In addition, I have responsibilities with my partner, Bobby Baldwin, on casino marketing. Thirdly, as part of the executive committee with Terry Lanni and Bobby Baldwin and Gary Jacobs, we manage the affairs of the company at large.

This is the day-to-day operation, right?

It is.

Does this make you MGM Mirage’s No. 2 executive?

I don’t think so. What it makes me is a person who is motivated to help the company. It is a job change. The board has asked me to take on these new responsibilities and I’m happy to accept them. But in terms of a pecking order, the way I view it is I work for Terry Lanni, I work for the board and I’m happy to do my job and it’s been good so far.

Halfway around the world, you have another big project that’s about to open. Can you give us an update on what’s going on in Macau?

Well, I could, but my boss could give you a better one because he’s literally sitting over there right now. I talked to him yesterday and it’s a stunner. It’s a very beautiful project. The MGM Grand Macau sits right next to Steve Wynn’s very pretty property. It (MGM property) towers over it and we believe it’s very iconic and dominant on the skyline of the peninsula of Macau. It’s due to open in the fourth quarter and it will do so with our partner, Pansy Ho. It will be fully energized, it will be operational and, I think, very, very successful all of next year, 2008.

It is likely the first of many properties that we will have through our partnership in Macau and we’ve already got a good eye on a second location and we’re beating down the doors on sites three and four. It’s a very, very important market. Steve Wynn has been tremendously successful, Sheldon Adelson even more so, so far. MGM is third to the party, but we’re not afraid of competition. We obviously compete well right here and I think we’ll be successful in Macau.

Are the other sites on Cotai?

Can’t tell you. Good try, though (laughs).

For full interview go to  In Business Las Vegas