They told me a story of a company that is filled with disgruntled employees, faulty equipment and guards who have no training for a crisis. They say nobody still has any idea what to do in case of emergency.

Here are a few highlights of our conversation:

MGM security personnel are "undermanned, underpaid, under-trained." That's a quote direct from security supervisors.

My sources say because MGM is heavily in debt and trying to save money, and because executives see security as a department that "produces no profit," MGM made decisions to savage the security budget.

Most members of MGM security are disarmed. Only supervisors have weapons — and they are in their offices or the control room. If there's trouble, the guns are far away. That leaves unarmed guards unable to defend guests or themselves for long periods of time. Guards feel helpless.