MGM poised to premiere property in Washington, D.C.

OXON HILL, Md. — MGM Resorts International expands its universe to Washington, D.C., with the grand opening of its MGM National Harbor on the eastern banks of the Potomac River on Thursday night.

Casino officials are on the verge of conducting their last technology integrity tests this week before receiving a license from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency to open what will be the state’s sixth casino.

But as MGM Chairman and CEO Jim Murren sees it, National Harbor will be far more than a resort hotel and MGM is much more than just a casino company.

“Today, MGM has become one of the world’s most powerful and diverse entertainment brands,” Murren said in comments last week at the National Press Club. “Our resorts span 20 destinations, featuring some of the world’s finest hotels, state-of-the-art conference centers, mind-blowing entertainment venues and restaurants that are a culinary experience, not just a meal.”

“Calling a company like MGM a gaming company is like calling today’s Verizon a telephone company or Google a search engine. It’s like believing Disney’s growth is still driven primarily by Mickey Mouse,” he said.

The $1.4 billion, 308-room National Harbor is one of the company’s most ambitious projects. It’s likely to take over as Maryland’s casino market leader, it’s close to the nation’s capital and Virginia and Maryland suburbs, and it’s widely expected to be a new economic hub for Prince George’s County.

Residents of the area are bracing for the prospect of 20,000 cars circulating on the roads and highways around the property each day. Transportation leaders in Washington, Virginia and Maryland say their $10 million investment in transportation infrastructure with road widenings and increased interstate highway access should accommodate the extra traffic the resort will generate, but there’s still some doubts among local residents.

But Murren expects the benefits the property will generate will far exceed some of the issues that could crop up.

“Even though MGM National Harbor has not been open for a single day, we’re already a major contributor to the community,” he said.

“During construction, we hired more than 1,700 residents of Prince George’s County. We’ve had over 40,000 applicants for positions at National Harbor, and these are not just casino jobs. We’ve hired over 4,000 people to fill more than 100 job classifications — from finance and administration to technology and hotel operations.”

The promise of an economic jump-start is what convinced the Maryland Legislature to approve casino gambling in the county in a special session in 2012. Approval passed by the narrowest of margins.

Opponents argued that Maryland was becoming oversaturated with gaming and that National Harbor would cannibalize existing properties in other parts of the state.

But the proponents argued that the MGM property would be more than a casino. Beyond the 135,000-square-foot casino floor, there is a 23-story, 308-room hotel, a 3,000-seat theater, seven restaurants, a spa, plus other retail and event space in a smoke-free environment and a 4,800-car parking garage.

A centerpiece of the property is a two-story glass-covered atrium that will be filled with more than 70,000 flowers designed as art pieces, a destination similar to MGM’s Bellagio Conservatory.

Celebrity chef Jose Andres plans a restaurant with Chesapeake Bay seafood, and local artists will have their work on display at the property.

MGM also has received kudos for being the first major resort in the Washington area to receive LEED Gold green building certification. It’s the ninth LEED certification MGM has received on its buildings.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.