By Jacquelynn D. Powers, Photographs: John Ellis

aybe I've watched too many episodes of Las Vegas or seen Ocean's Eleven on HBO too many times, but I expected Gamal Aziz's office to be tricked out with flat-screen televisions and high-tech surveillance equipment. Instead, I found a warm space that is timelessly and neutrally decorated with only one old-school TV and an intercom system out of Charlie's Angels (the TV show, not the movie). There wasn't even any cash lying around! All this is surprising, considering that Aziz, 47, the president and COO of the MGM Grand, oversees one of the largest hotel/casinos on the Strip. The only evidence of "New Vegas" is the monorail that passes perilously close by his window every six minutes. But while his surroundings may be low-key and conservative, the man who resides here is anything but.

Ever since he was transferred from the Bellagio to the MGM Grand four years ago (as the executive vice president of hotel operations, before taking on his current responsibilities), Aziz has made it his mission to shake up what locals jokingly call the "Jolly Green Giant." And the Egyptian-born hotelier has done so by infusing hip restaurants and nightclubs into the mammoth property — with hits such as Nobhill, Seablue, Tabú, Shibuya, Fiamma, Diego, Teatro and Craftsteak. There is also a groundbreaking Cirque du Soleil show debuting in December, which promises to revolutionize the genre (and which is shrouded in more secrecy than Osama bin Laden's whereabouts). Other improvements include the aforementioned monorail, a lucrative condo/hotel partnership called the MGM Grand Residences, the Christophe salon and the modern renovation of the 700-room West Wing Tower (formerly the Emerald Tower).

Unmistakably, there is a buzz again at the decade-old-plus hotel and casino, which is remarkable, given that the competition is getting younger and trendier. Nevertheless, under Aziz's tenure, the MGM Grand is hot once more, even landing on the cover of Time magazine last summer. And for Aziz, who moved to Vegas seven years ago after stints at The Plaza hotel in New York and the St. Francis in San Francisco, his property's success is validation of the hard work he and his 8,000 employees have put in over the last few years. Even more tellingly, the press, acclaim and awards aren't going to his head. The Summerlin resident stays grounded with the help of his wife, Amal, and their three children, as well as by traveling all over the world for inspiration. Throughout his busy schedule, Aziz remains a fan of the hotel and casino business — and even shares a few secrets with me in his low-tech office.

VEGAS: It seems as if you are completely restructuring the face of the MGM Grand.

GAMAL AZIZ: It has been a tremendous transformation for us. We reviewed what was not working in the property and decided we had to act quickly and decisively to change the areas of weakness. I came from the Bellagio and had the opportunity to open that property with all of the restaurants. That brought a whole new profile of customers, and that understanding led us to believe we had to do something about the restaurants here at the MGM Grand. That area had the biggest weakness...

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