Las Vegas Sands Corp. announced that effective April 1, 2009, Michael A. Leven, who has served as a member of the company's board of directors since August 2004, will assume the title of president and chief operating officer replacing William P. Weidner.

 The company stated that Weidner is no longer with the organization or a member of its board of directors.

Leven is a veteran hospitality executive with 48 years of experience in the business and a distinguished and well-recognized record of success. He was formerly president and CEO of US Franchise Systems, Inc., the company he founded in 1995, which developed and franchised the Microtel Inns & Suites and Hawthorn Suites hotel brands. He was previously the president and COO of Holiday Inn Worldwide, president of Days Inn of America, and president of Americana Hotels. He has also served on the board of directors of Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Hersha Hospitality Trust.

 In his new role with LVS, Leven will supervise the overall operations of the company's U.S. and international locations.