According to the latest statistics available from the Nevada State Gaming Control Board, gaming revenues on the Las Vegas Strip increased 21% in the first two months of the quarter.  The company's casinos located on the Strip accounted for 58% of such growth.  On an overall basis, the company's gaming revenues increased by 64% in the first quarter while its gross non-casino revenues increased 82%.
 
The growth in revenues and operating profit was attributable primarily to the company's Bellagio resort, which opened on October 15, 1998 and generated $282 million of total revenues in the first quarter.  Mirage Resorts believes this to be the highest quarterly revenues of any casino in Nevada history. Its non-casino revenues in the quarter of $145 million are thought to be the highest such revenues of any resort in history.  The company's Beau Rivage resort on the Mississippi Gulf Coast also opened successfully on March 16, 1999 and contributed to the increase in revenues for the quarter.
 
Results were also strong at the company's other resorts.  The operating income of such resorts on a combined basis, excluding the new properties, increased by 2% in the face of the new competition and despite an ongoing room refurbishment program at the company's Treasure Island resort.  Hotel occupancy of standard rooms at such resorts increased slightly, from 98.1% to 98.4%, and their average room rate increased by 4%.
 
On a company-wide basis, occupancy of standard guestrooms was 98.1% in both periods.  The average rate for standard guestrooms increased from $89 to $110, with Bellagio's higher room rates accounting for most of this increase.
 
The company-wide table games win percentage was 20.2%, versus 19.8%. Management believes both numbers to be relatively normal.  Over the past three calendar years, the company-wide win percentage has averaged 20.0%.
 
The company expensed substantial preopening and related promotional costs during the quarter.  There were two aspects to this.  First, a recently issued accounting pronouncement now requires preopening costs to be expensed as incurred.  The company had previously capitalized such costs and amortized them over the 60-day period following the opening of the related resort.  At December 31, 1998 the company had $47.0 million of such capitalized costs,
including $24.7 million related to Beau Rivage and $22.3 million related to development of its planned Atlantic City facilities.  This resulted in a cumulative effect related to the accounting change in the quarter of $30.6 million, net of the applicable income tax benefit.  Second, the company incurred $31.5 million of additional preopening and related promotional expense in the quarter, largely in connection with hiring and training Beau Rivage's workforce.  As a result of these factors and an increase in interest expense, the company's net income for the quarter was $1.5 million ($0.01 per share).
 
The company's interest cost rose significantly in the quarter due to higher debt levels related to the investment in the new resorts.  The opening of such resorts also resulted in a lesser proportion of the company's interest cost being capitalized during the 1999 first quarter.

This press release contains forward-looking statements which are subject to change.  Actual results may differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statement.  Additional information concerning potential factors that could affect the company's future results is included in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998. This statement is provided as permitted by the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995.