MGM National Harbor debuted a $48 million expansion Sunday roughly 18 months after it opened in Prince George’s County.
The resort expanded total gaming space from 125,000 square feet to 163,000 square feet.
“We had a rough second floor that was not being utilized, and the intent was that if we saw the demand from our customers, we would have the ability to expand to that second floor,” Melonie Johnson, president and chief operating officer of MGM National Harbor, told me on Monday.
Demand has gone “well beyond our expectations,” especially for table games, she said.
The project involved moving poker activity to the second level of the casino, where MGM Resorts International Inc. (NYSE: MGM) was able to increase the number of tables from 39 to 46 to accommodate up to 460 players.
Moving that poker space allowed the company to provide additional table games and slot machines on the first floor.
The casino expansion includes off-track horse betting that begins next Monday, about 285 slot machines, a new bar and a fast-casual dining venue as well as a 700-square-foot terrace.
The additional casino space is expected to help the resort increase MGM National Harbor’s overall tax contributions. Last year, MGM National Harbor contributed more than $170 million to the state’s Education Trust Fund, according to a press release. Johnson declined to disclose projections but said the new space will likely create millions of dollars worth of revenue for both the state and the county.