through Maryland (customers), it wouldn't be enough to justify investing that massive amount.'Īnd while nationwide gambling revenue numbers have either stagnated or dropped over the last few years, Maryland has largely bucked the trend. 'I think if the leadership of MGM was only anticipating making revenue. An intimate 3,000-seat arena already has lined up well-known acts like Bruno. 'It has a greater potential than any of the other sites to be a resort destination,' Karmel said. MGM National Harbor’s casino floor is about 125,000 square feet, with table games and more than 3,300 slot machines. It will also benefit from the nearby Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, which has 2,000 guest rooms. Sitting on the Potomac River, the $1.2 billion investment by MGM includes a 23-story hotel with 308 rooms and suites. 'The reason why we're investing to the degree we are - it's clearly far more money than anybody has ever invested in a regional casino - is because we don't believe it is a regional casino,' James Murren, MGM's chairman and CEO, said last year in D.C. But there are reasons for optimism, said James Karmel, a casino analyst and professor at Harford Community College.įor one, the top executive of MGM Resorts International has said it looks to differentiate the National Harbor casino by focusing on making it a 'destination' resort.
