MGM National Harbor opens its doors

Column: industry Tag: MGM National Harbor,MGM Published: 2016-12-09 15:08 Source: Author:

MGM National Harbor opens its doors

 

 

The $1.4 billion MGM National Harbor, a casino hotel on the Maryland banks of the Potomac River, is having its grand opening on Thursday night.

MGM Resorts is making its debut in the Washington area. Located about 10 miles south of the city, the hotel has views of the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.

At the entrance of the hotel is "Portal," a massive iron sculpture designed by folk artist Bob Dylan, who hand-selected objects and welded them into an archway that guests walk through.

The MGM National Harbor has 308 hotel rooms and offers 15 food and beverage options, including restaurants helmed by Jose Andres (Fish by Jose Andres), Marcus Samuelsson (Marcus, which features American classics with a twist) and Michael Voltaggio (Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse).

The Bellagio Patisserie, a European-inspired pastry shop, has a 26-foot chocolate fountain. Blossom is a cocktail lounge that pays homage to Washington's famous springtime cherry blossoms.

Other amenities are a 27,000-square-foot spa, a 15,000-square-foot floral conservatory with more than 150,000 flowers, and 18,000 square feet of retail space. Among the shops will be SJP, actress Sarah Jessica Parker's first standalone boutique, selling her line of black dresses, shoes and handbags.

The 3,000-seat Theater at MGM National Harbor, which will be operated with promoter LiveNation, will open on Dec. 27 with a concert by Bruno Mars.

The resort has achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design gold certification for a 700,000-gallon cistern for rainwater storage, high-efficiency bathroom fixtures and the inclusion of 28 charging stations for plug-in vehicles.