Crowds flocked to the MGM National Harbor in Maryland after its opening on December 8, 2016. Photo by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Openings & Closings

Non-Indian casino near nation's capital rakes in $42M in revenue in three weeks

Monday, January 30, 2017

A non-Indian commercial casino near Washington, D.C., took in nearly $42 million in its first three weeks of operation, according to new figures.

The $1.4 billion MGM National Harbor opened on December 8, 2016. The glitzy facility helped the state of Maryland shatter gaming revenue records.

“We anticipated that December would be a record-breaking month, and we are tremendously enthusiastic about the future of Maryland’s casino program,” Maryland Lottery and Gaming Director Gordon Medenica said in a press release. “MGM National Harbor is an outstanding facility in an ideal location, and we are confident that its success will fuel the continued growth of revenue that supports vital state programs.”

The casino is located at the National Harbor in Maryland, less than 10 miles from the U.S. Capitol. It's the work of MGM Resorts International, a non-Indian firm that tried, unsuccessfully, to stop the Pamunkey Tribe in neighboring Virginia from securing federal recognition.

The firm is also building a $950 million commercial casino in Massachusetts. That facility is not far from the border with Connecticut, where the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribe are pursuing a new casino.

MGM is hoping to stop those efforts with a lawsuit against the state of Connecticut. A federal judge dismissed the case but the firm is trying to revive it on appeal.

Read More on the Story:
MGM National Harbor pushes Maryland gambling revenue to new heights (The Washington Post 1/29)