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.