MGM at the National Harbor finally opens it's doors and FOX 45's Amber Miller was there to give us a run down of everything the resort has to offer. A fascinating casino, 300+ rooms/suites.
Overlooking the nation’s capital, and at a pricetag of $1.4 billion, the MGM National Harbor Casino is upping the stakes for the entire mid-Atlantic casino market.
It’s also MGM Resorts’ latest move on the East Coast, with MGM Springfield on the way in Massachusetts and its acquisition of 100 percent interest of Borgata in New Jersey.
Here comes MGM National Harbor
The casino, which sits just outside of Washington, D.C., on the banks of the Potomac River, will officially open for business on Thursday. MGM’s resort casino is a potential game-changer; it’s the biggest and swankiest in the region and has arguably one of the best locations in the country.
The District is a location that casino developers have long coveted, but local lawmakers shot them all down. The region had been unimpressed with proposals and was fearful of getting what amounts to a slots parlor. That was until MGM came calling in 2012.
A 2012 ballot referendum, predicated on MGM’s DC-area proposal, authorized the Maryland state government to grant another casino license. MGM National Harbor was awarded the sixth, and final, casino license by the state in 2013.
Initially, the National Harbor project was projected to cost about $800 million. That put it in the ballpark of the other Maryland casinos, like Maryland Live! But as the project grew, the price tag nearly doubled. When all was said and done, MGM National Harbor cost almost three times as much as the Maryland Live! project.
A destination style casino
MGM National Harbor is trying to differentiate itself from the region’s other casinos by being a destination resort casino, a step up from the state’s five existing casinos:
- Maryland Live! Casino
- Rocky Gap Casino Resort
- Horseshoe Casino Baltimore
- Hollywood Casino Perryville
- Casino at Ocean Downs
Unlike the existing “regional” casinos, which bank on foot traffic from locals and travelers in surrounding states, MGM is hoping its location near the nation’s capital will bring visitors from all over the country and the globe. MGM National Harbor aims to be a Las Vegas-style destination casino (hence, the project’s Vegas-esque price tag).
Prior to the opening of MGM National Harbor, Maryland Live! was the state’s biggest and glitziest casino. Maryland Live! opened in 2012 at a cost of about $550 million. Not surprisingly, with MGM National Harbor growing in size, Maryland Live! announced a $200 million expansion project in 2016.
“This is not simply a casino,” MGM CEO Jim Murren told the Washington Post. “We don’t look at the casino business like we are in the slot machine and table business. We view ourselves in a business that cuts across many sectors: entertainment, retail, food and beverage, convention, hospitality.”
Boost for the local economy
MGM National Harbor is expected to be a boon economically. The resort will employ a permanent workforce of around 4,000 and generate $50 million in local tax revenue.
“It is entirely, economically speaking, a net positive for the county,” said Richard Clinch, the director of economic development at the University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute in a Washington Post interview. “It will create lots of good jobs, reinforce tourism and strengthen the county’s economy.”
A look inside the casino
The resort has more than 300 hotel rooms, a 15,000-square-foot conservatory, a full spa and salon, and 70 pieces of artwork scattered throughout the resort’s common areas.
Restaurant options range from a coffee shop to upscale restaurants with celebrity chefs who are all the rage at Vegas casinos.
Eateries inside MGM National Harbor include:
- Marcus
- Fish By José Andrés
- Voltaggio Brothers Steak House
- Tap Sports Bar
- Ginger
- National Market
- Bellagio Patisserie
The resort also features a 3,000-seat theater, where entertainment will run the gamut from comedy to concerts, with headliners like Bruno Mars, Sting and Jim Gaffigan already scheduled to appear in the coming weeks and months.
The 125,000-square-foot casino floor boasts 3,300 slot machines, 124 table games, and a 39-table poker room.
Interestingly, while MGM National Harbor dwarfs its competitors in total size and scope, it won’t be able to lay claim to the most slot machines, table games, or even the largest poker room. That honor goes to Maryland Live!, which boasts 4,000 slot machines, 200 table games, and a 52-table poker room.
Coordinates: 38°47′41.4″N77°00′34.5″W / 38.794833°N 77.009583°W
| MGM National Harbor | |
|---|---|
| Location | National Harbor |
| Address | 101 MGM National Ave Oxon Hill, MD 20745-4731 |
| Opening date | December 8, 2016 |
| No. of rooms | 308 |
| Total gaming space | 135,000 sq ft (12,500 m2) |
| Signature attractions | The Theater at MGM National Harbor |
| Casino type | Land-based |
| Owner | MGM Resorts International |
| Website | Casino Website |
The MGM National Harbor is a US$1.4 billion resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The resort opened on December 8, 2016,[1] and is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.[2][3][4]
- 1History
History[edit]
MGM Resorts International received a license in December 2013 to develop a US$925 million resort (later increased to US$1.2 billion[3][4]) in National Harbor.[2][4] The company received the license after competing with bids from Penn National Gaming to develop a US$700 million facility at its Rosecroft Raceway and Greenwood Racing to develop a US$761 million facility near Maryland Route 210.[4]
Mgm National Harbor Casino Map
Construction on MGM National Harbor began in April 2014, and opened on December 8, 2016.[1][3]
MBE participation[edit]
In April 2015, the MGM casino was sued by a group of Prince George’s County businesses[5] who claimed the casino didn't comply with minority business enterprise (MBE) contracting standards.[6][7]
Child electrocution[edit]
On June 26, 2018 a seven-year-old girl suffered traumatic brain injury while visiting the casino. Due to a faulty installation of a device meant to control the electrical flow to the rail lighting, Zynae Green was electrocuted and left wheelchair bound for the rest of her life. Despite the family's pleas for help, MGM security did nothing immediately after she was injured. When Prince George's County Police Officers arrived they started the resuscitation. The incident prompted an FBI investigation and the family has not been compensated more than a year after the incident. [8]
Cheating[edit]
In 2019, a baccarat dealer who worked at the casino was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a cheating scheme. Ming Zhang showed his co-conspirators cards before they were dealt, who split the winnings with him. [9]
Boxing death[edit]
Russian boxer Maxim Dadashev died on July 23, 2019, from injuries suffered during a July 19 boxing match at the Theater at MGM National Harbor.[10]
Design[edit]
The white exterior of the building is in keeping with the marble used in many of the buildings in Washington DC. The organization of the casino is along a central axis, similar to the arrangement for the National Mall.[11] The design was provided by HKS, Inc. while the architect of record for the project is SmithGroupJJR.[12]
Features[edit]
MGM National Harbor includes a 23-story hotel with 308 rooms, 135,000 square feet (12,500 m2) in gaming space, retail space, a spa, seven restaurants, a 3,000-seat theater with seven VIP suites, 27,000 square feet (2,500 m2) of meeting and event space, and a parking garage for 4,800 cars.[2][3]
The resort's public spaces feature a permanent collection of art inspired by the Washington metropolitan area and developed in collaboration with Prince George's County Arts and Humanities Council, Atlantic Arts, and RareCulture.[13][14] Artists, sculptors, and photographers featured in the collection include Alice Aycock, Charles Hinman, Chul Hyun Ahn, John Safer, Liao Yibai, Margaret Boozer, Martha Jackson Jarvis, Sam Gilliam, and Terry O'Neill.[13][14] The west entrance to the facility features a 25-by-15-foot (7.6 m × 4.6 m) iron archway composed of 'found objects' such as farming tools, children's toys, wheels and axes designed by Bob Dylan.[15]
Events[edit]
On December 18, 2016, the 66th edition of the Miss World pageant was held at the resort theatre.[16]
Since 2017, American singer and actress, Cher, has been performing her Classic Cher concert residency at The Theater at MGM National Harbor.[17]
On July 12 and 13, 2018, Britney Spears performed two concerts as part of her Piece of Me Tour.[18]
On September 30 2018, Christina Aguilera performed a concert as part of her Liberation Tour.[19]
On March 31, 2019, Mariah Carey performed a concert as a part of her Caution World Tour.[20]
See also[edit]
External links[edit]
- Official website
References[edit]
Mgm National Harbor Casino Games
- ^ abhttp://www.hotelnewsresource.com/article91376.html
- ^ abcLazo, Luz (April 20, 2014). 'Work begins at MGM National Harbor site as Pr. George's fast-tracks application process'. Washington Post. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ abcd'MGM National Harbor Casino Set to Open in 2016'. CBS DC. Associated Press. March 25, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ abcdBarker, Jeff (May 4, 2015). 'Giant MGM National Harbor casino is looking beyond Maryland'. The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^Kirkwood, Lauren. 'RICO suit: MGM casino construction shut out minority businesses'. Maryland Daily Record. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^'MGM: Nearly 1/3 of contracting firms in casino project are minority-owned'. Washington Post. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^Sykes, Michael. 'Business owners claim MGM broke promise'. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^Alexander, Keith (July 8, 2019). 'A child touched an electrified railing at MGM National Harbor resort, and lives changed'. Washington Post. Washington DC. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
- ^Bui, Lynh (December 6, 2019). 'Former Md. casino dealer sentenced to 18 months in $1 million cheating scheme, federal prosecutors said'. Washington Post. Washington DC. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^'Russian boxer dies of injuries suffered in bout at Maryland casino'. The Washington Post. July 23, 2019.
- ^Symone Garvett (December 8, 2016). 'MGM National Harbor - HKS Architects'. architectmagazine.com. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^'MGM National Harbor Resort'. www.smithgroupjjr.com/. smithgroupjjr. December 7, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
- ^ abMGM National Harbor (February 25, 2016). 'MGM National Harbor to Feature Permanent Art Collection Inspired by Capital Region's Rich Heritage'. Yahoo Finance (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ abMary Ann Barton (February 26, 2016). 'Regional Art to Be Showcased at MGM National Harbor'. Old Town Alexandria, VA Patch. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^Drew Hansen (September 7, 2016). 'MGM National Harbor's gatemaker? The one and only Bob Dylan'. Washington Business Journal. Washington Business Journal. Retrieved September 7, 2016.
- ^MGM National Harbor. ''Miss World 2016 To Be Held At The Theater at MGM National Harbor''. MGM National Harbor Newsroom. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
- ^MGM National Harbor (March 19, 2018). ''World-Renowned Icon Cher Announces Additional 'CLASSIC CHER' Dates in 2018 at Park Theater at Monte Carlo in Las Vegas and The Theater at MGM National Harbor''. MGM National Harbor Newsroom.
- ^'Britney Spears'. Live Nation Entertainment. January 22, 2018.
- ^{{cite web |url=http://newsroom.mgmresorts.com/grammy-award-winning-superstar-christina-aguilera-announces-performance-with-special-guest-big-boy-at-theater-at-mgm-national-harbor-sunday-sept-30.htm
- ^'Mariah Carey World Tour'. livenation.com. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
| Preceded by Crown of Beauty Theatre Sanya, China (2015) | Miss World Venues 2016 | Succeeded by Sanya City Arena Sanya, China (2017) |