Hospitality & Leisure

Dallas – – September 29, 2026 -- Topgolf is replacing its legacy event menu with four new chef-driven buffet concepts and increasing buffet frequency to one station per 30 guests, up from one per 50, in its first major events-program update in recent years.

Four new buffet concepts replace fixed-price legacy menu

The new lineup includes Modern Mediterranean (build-your-own salad and bowl bar with chicken shawarma and grilled steak), Cantina Kitchen (a southwest taco and nacho bar with chicken tinga and fajita beef), Taste of Topgolf (sliders and Roman-crust pizza with vegetarian options) and Chef's Table, a premium entrée menu featuring beef tenderloin and herb salmon for executive events. Planners can add à la carte proteins, sliders, sides and whole pizzas, including gluten-friendly, vegan and vegetarian options.

Indianapolis – September 29, 2026 -- Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) has signed Danish driver Christian Lundgaard to a multi-year contract to pilot the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda starting in 2027, adding a three-time INDYCAR winner to the winningest team in series history.

Lundgaard brings a career-best third-place championship finish to CGR's 2027 lineup

At 25 years old, Lundgaard has 16 podiums and 21 top-five finishes across 87 career INDYCAR starts. In 2026 he won at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Road America while securing his career-best third-place finish in the championship standings and his first oval podium. He joins teammates Alex Palou and Kyffin Simpson at CGR next season.

Parsippany, N.J. – September 29, 2026 -- Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) said its Board of Directors approved a $400 million increase to the company's share repurchase authorization, expanding capital returned to shareholders.

Board cites cash-flow strength behind expanded buyback plan

President and CEO Geoff Ballotti said the increase reflects the Board's confidence in Wyndham's business model and its ability to generate significant cash flow. The program carries no termination date and can be suspended or discontinued at any time.

Repurchase execution remains flexible and market-dependent

Wyndham said the amount and timing of specific repurchases will depend on market conditions, applicable legal requirements and other factors. Buybacks may be executed through open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions.

Las Vegas – September 29, 2026 -- IGT debuted Queen Video Slots at the 2026 Global Gaming Expo (G2E), a new casino game built on the legacy of rock band Queen and launched on the company's new Summit75 cabinet.

IGT partners with Sony Music subsidiary to license Queen catalog for slot game

IGT developed the title in collaboration with Ceremony of Roses, Queen's licensor and a global subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. The game features 10 Queen tracks, including "We are the Champions," "Bohemian Rhapsody," and "Don't Stop Me Now," alongside photos and videos of all four original band members.

Game includes four bonuses and six jackpots to drive floor engagement

Queen Video Slots offers four content-rich bonus rounds and six jackpot tiers, positioned by IGT as a concert-like experience designed to capture both music fans and slot players on casino floors.

Las Vegas – September 28, 2026 -- Aristocrat Gaming secured three top honors at the Global Gaming Awards Americas, including Class 2 and Class 3 Land-Based Supplier of the Year and Slot of the Year for MONOPOLY Big Board Bucks.

Aristocrat extends eight-year winning streak in land-based supplier category

The company has now claimed the Class 3 Land-Based Supplier of the Year title for eight consecutive years and Slot of the Year for the same eighth-year streak. The Class 2 award marks the second straight year Aristocrat has topped that category.

CEO cites product performance as driver of repeat recognition

Craig Toner, CEO of Aristocrat Gaming, said the recognition reflects the company's focus on developing products and experiences that drive measurable performance outcomes for casino operators.

Broomfield, Colo. – September 28, 2026 -- Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) reported fiscal 2026 net income of $147.5 million, down from $280.0 million a year earlier, as the western U.S. ski industry endured what CEO Rob Katz called one of the most challenging winters in history.

Resort Reported EBITDA falls 11.7% to $745.7 million on weather losses

Full-year Resort Reported EBITDA declined $98.5 million to $745.7 million, including $11 million in one-time costs tied to the company's resource efficiency transformation plan. Resort Net Revenue fell $131.9 million, or 4.5%, driven by historically low snowfall and snowpack in the Rockies and Tahoe regions. Total lift revenue dropped 3.5% even as visitation fell 13.4%, cushioned by a 3.9% increase in pass revenue. In Australia, cumulative snowfall during the fourth quarter came in roughly 57% below the 10-year average, pressuring visitation despite growth in Australian pass sales.

Austin, Texas – September 28, 2026 -- Saigon Hustle, a Vietnamese-inspired restaurant concept backed by private equity firm Savory Fund, has grown to three locations across the Houston market through a growth marketing partnership with Walden Media Group (WMG).

WMG scales Saigon Hustle from single unit to three-location Houston operation

WMG, a growth marketing agency, has led paid and organic digital acquisition, creative production, brand identity, social media, and go-to-market strategy for Saigon Hustle since engaging with the brand. The partnership has taken the concept from one restaurant to a multi-unit operation in Houston, with Savory Fund providing the operational, financial, and strategic infrastructure to support the expansion.

Las Vegas – September 28, 2026 -- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) will release its third-quarter 2026 financial results after market close on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, followed by a conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

MGM Resorts sets October 28 date for Q3 earnings release and investor call

The call will include a brief discussion of results and a question-and-answer session with management. Supplemental slides will be posted on MGM's Investor Relations website ahead of the call.

Company provides dial-in details for domestic and international participants

Investors can access the call via webcast or by dialing 1-888-317-6003 domestically or 1-412-317-6061 internationally, using access code 9250061. A replay will be available through November 4, 2026, via 1-855-669-9658 or 1-412-317-0088 with access code 9853875.

Mettler, Calif. – – September 28, 2026 -- The Tejon Indian Tribe and Hard Rock Casino Tejon have appointed Mike Bean as Property President, effective October 5, filling the top operational post at the California gaming venue along the I-5 corridor.

Bean arrives with three decades of tribal gaming leadership experience

Bean joins Hard Rock Casino Tejon after serving as Chief Executive Officer of Morongo Casino Resort & Spa. His resume also includes a stint as CEO of Desert Diamond Casinos & Entertainment in Arizona, alongside senior leadership roles at other major gaming and resort organizations.

New York and London – September 28, 2026 -- The Visualize Group has completed its acquisition of eCOGRA, combining the gaming compliance provider with BMM Testlabs to create a testing, inspection, certification, and compliance (TICC) platform holding licenses or accreditations in more than 800 jurisdictions worldwide.

The deal, first announced June 30, 2026, closed after receiving customary regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Combined platform covers nearly every regulated gaming jurisdiction globally

The merger positions the combined entity to support gaming suppliers entering newly regulated markets immediately, according to Visualize. eCOGRA joins BMM Testlabs, which Visualize acquired earlier in 2026, as the private investment firm builds out its regulated-gaming services portfolio.