Photo by Flickr, CC by 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
MGM National Harbor reveals upgrades
The opening ceremony featured comments from one of the casino’s officials, an official cutting of the ribbon, and a lion dance blessing for good fortune ahead of the Lunar New Year on Feb. 17.
“The new High Limit gaming area marks an exciting evolution of the MGM National Harbor casino floor and underscores our continued commitment to excellence, innovation, and elevated guest experiences,” said Alexander Alvarado, Vice President of Casino Operations at MGM National Harbor. “As we approach our 10th anniversary, this investment reflects how we're building on a decade of success while continuing to deliver best-in-class experiences.”
Customers can now officially experience the new 4,000 square feet of gaming space, bringing the total to more than 14,000 square feet. The entire area was renovated with new wall art, a carpet, lavish ceiling fixtures, and a massive chandelier near the entrance.
A new high-limit slot machine room contains about 110 slots, double what was there before, and 19 table games with live-dealer options.
The Flexible Gaming Room can be morphed to suit the demands of a situation, event, or party. It featured decorative wall panels and natural stone, a crystal ceiling, foldable partitions, and more. It can fix a maximum of eight additional tables.
The High Limit Bar also has a collection of beverages that aren’t available anywhere else in the casino.
Dealing with competition and excitement
MGM National Harbor’s renovations come at an important time for the property, which sits on the East side of the Potomac River.
Sphere Entertainment, the company behind the iconic Las Vegas Sphere, recently announced its intent to build a smaller version of the entertainment venue in Oxon Hill, near the MGM campus. That would put the casino in close proximity to what figures to become a preeminent destination in the area.
MGM has long had a hold on gamblers in southern Maryland, Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia, largely because there aren’t any other casino options nearby. However, that too could soon change.
Virginia lawmakers this week advanced to the Senate floor a bill that would allow for the creation of a casino. The bill had previously required the casino to be built in Tysons in Fairfax County, but that provision was removed from the approved version.
In the event the bill receives enough support from the full Senate, the resulting property would threaten MGM’s hold on the local market. That’s why the upgrades and increasing customer sentiment and loyalty would pay dividends.
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