MGM National Harbor celebrated the “topping off” of the $1.3 billion resort casino by placing the final level atop the highest point on the 24-story concrete structure. This significant construction milestone comes as the much-anticipated resort moves toward its opening in the fourth quarter of 2016. The luxury resort is set to become a premier destination in the Capital Region for entertainment, dining, shopping, gaming, and much more.
“Today, we commemorate an important construction milestone for MGM National Harbor, as our vision for building the finest luxury resort on the East Coast continues to come to fruition. When we began this journey, we set out to design a property that would rival any in our portfolio, bring great pride to Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland. Looking at the project now, it is clear that we are well on our way to delivering on that vision,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International.
MGM National Harbor reflects a contemporary, bold and progressive design inspired by the historic area, national icons and natural beauty of Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. MGM recently announced that renowned chefs José Andrés, Marcus Samuelsson, and Bryan and Michael Voltaggio will lead its culinary program. In addition, the resort will feature 308 guest rooms and suites, a world-class spa, a 3,000-seat entertainment theater, high-end branded retail, an expansive gaming floor with table games such as poker, baccarat and slot machines, and more than 25,000 square feet of meetings space.
Lorenzo Creighton, president and chief operating Officer of MGM National Harbor, said, “We are grateful to the thousands of talented individuals – architects, construction workers, contractors and more – who’ve worked with great pride to make this amazing achievement happen so quickly. It’s a marvel to watch the incredible progress. Now, with the ‘topping off’ complete and winter setting in, work begins within the resort. We look forward to maintaining the momentum and unveiling the finished product later this year.”
Joining Mr. Murren and Mr. Creighton to mark the milestone was Bill Boasberg, general manager of MGM National Harbor, who will run the day-to-day operations for the resort once open, as well as senior executives from the MGM Resorts International leadership team in Las Vegas and the Regional Operations team based in Maryland.
MGM Resorts International was awarded the sixth license to operate a casino in Maryland in December 2013, and began construction on MGM National Harbor in May 2014. Since then, on average, about 1,100 workers are active on the site each day, building the resort to design specifications and LEED Gold Certification standards. Approximately 31 percent of contracts have been awarded to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), and nearly 20% of total labor hours in 2015 were performed by Prince George’s County residents.