MGM National Harbor is set to roll the red carpet on Thursday after Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica finally signed its operational license.
“MGM National Harbor successfully demonstrated that it has met the state’s legal and regulatory requirements and is ready to open,”Medenica, who signed the operations license Wednesday, said, according to The Washington Post.
Before Medenica signed the last bit of important paperwork, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency conducted tests and assessed the facility’s systems and controls, including more 3,321 slot machines and 165 table games, internal controls, employee training, technical systems and other operations.
About 7,500 people gambled with real money when they took part in the controlled demonstrations held on December 1 and 5. Neither the casino nor Maryland Lottery and Gaming immediately disclosed how much money was gambled.
The proceeds of the demonstrations were donated to local nonprofit organizations, including the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission’s Department of Parks and Recreation in Prince George’s County, the Washington Redskins Charitable Foundation Back to School Fair, the Alice Ferguson Foundation of Accokeek and the Foundation School of Prince George’s County.
Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Prince George’s County, Maryland, the hotel boasts 24 stories, with 308 rooms and suites; a 125,000-square-foot casino; a 3,000-seat theater; and expansive public spaces featuring the MGM National Harbor Heritage Collection — a showcase of nearly 70 works by such artists as Bob Dylan, Margaret Boozer, Alice Aycock, Sam Gilliam, John Dreyfuss and John Safer, among others.
MGM Harbor is the sixth casino in the state of Maryland. It will also be the company’s first foray into the Washington, D.C., area. The first of Maryland five existing casinos opened in 2010. Since then, casinos have generated about $4.28 billion in gaming revenue for the state.
“MGM National Harbor will introduce something unprecedented to one of the country’s most popular travel destinations. Under one roof, guests will enjoy a sophisticated hotel experience, high-energy casino, celebrity-chef restaurants, world-class entertainment, nightlife, destination spa, upscale retail and curated art, complemented by incredible panoramas of D.C., Maryland and Virginia,” said Bill Boasberg, the resort’s general manager, in a prepared statement.
