Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) today said that Andrew (Randy) Kwasniewski was found dead in his Las Vegas home this morning. Mr. Kwasniewski was President of Morgans Hotel Group Las Vegas and Chief Operating Officer of the Hard Rock Hotel Inc. Morgans said that the cause of his death was unknown to the company at this time.
Mr. Kwasniewski joined Morgans Hotel Group in October 2006. He had worked in the hotel industry for approximately 30 years. Prior to joining Morgans, he served as Senior Vice President of Starwood Capital Group where he played an integral role in the acquisition and operational aspects of Starwood hotel portfolios including the Societe du Louvre and Le Meridien. Prior to joining Starwood Capital Group, he was the Vice President of Operations for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada where he oversaw all Hotel, Food & Beverage, Retail, and Facilities staffs and operations.
Fred Kleisner, CEO of Morgans Hotel Group, said, “I’ve known and worked with Randy since 1995. He was not just one of my colleagues and a leader of our company, he was my friend. I know few hotel and casino executives who have the knowledge, focus and work ethic that Randy possessed. I will miss him. All of us at Morgans are deeply saddened by the passing of Randy. I know I speak for everyone when I say we all mourn his loss. Randy was a dedicated husband and father, a friend to many of us, and a valued colleague. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family.”
About Morgans Hotel Group
Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) is widely credited as the creator of the first “boutique” hotel and a continuing leader of the hotel industry’s boutique sector. Morgans Hotel Group operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, Morgans, Royalton and Hudson in New York, Delano and Shore Club in South Beach, Mondrian in Los Angeles, Scottsdale and South Beach, Clift in San Francisco, Ames in Boston, and Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London. Morgans Hotel Group and an equity partner also own the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and related assets. Morgans Hotel Group also manages hotels in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico and Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Morgans Hotel Group has other property transactions in various stages of completion, including projects in SoHo, New York and Palm Springs, California. For more information please visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.
