“Holiday Reflections” was a Christmas-themed display in The Conservatory at MGM National Harbor.
(Thanks to MGM National Harbor)
December 2016 was a big month for Maryland’s casino revenues. The inclusion of MGM National Harbor’s numbers added up to a record-setting month.
The total revenues for Maryland casinos in December 2016 was $133 million, easily the largest month ever. MGM National Harbor had its grand opening on December 8, so it produced the biggest per-day revenues of any Maryland casino.
For the full month, Maryland Live remained the leader, with over $48 million in revenues.
MGM National Harbor was second with $42 million, though that number was produced in only 24 days of operation. The Horseshoe Baltimore Casino finished in third place with a $30 million figure.
Maryland Live’s Rob Norton
Maryland Live casino executives say they are not concerned about the numbers generated by MGM National Harbor. They say the competition is good, though the numbers show a decline for Maryland Live from its December 2015 revenues.
Rob Norton, Cordish Global Gaming Group‘s president, said of the new competitor, “We’re excited to still be the number one revenue casino in the state of Maryland. We’re focused on the locals, the local community and local players and we’re not focused on tourists.”
Distance from MGM National Harbor’s to Washington DC: 24 Miles
On the other hand, MGM National Harbor is more likely to receive tourists, because of its proximity to Washington D.C. With the nation’s capital so nearby, many domestic tourists are going to be within a short excursion to the MGM National Harbor. So will foreign visitors, who come in large numbers for business and political matters.
The large population of wealthy people who gather in the nation’s capital could swell the tourist numbers for MGM National Harbor. Most politicians are not going to visit the casino, because it would look bad to their constituents. There is a large community of lobbyists, lawywer, political consultants, aides, foreign envoys, and wealthy contributors who pass through Washington D.C. These people represent a renewable source of customers for MGM National Harbor, which is only a 24-minute drive to the District of Columbia.
Rob Norton on Maryland Live’s Customers
Rob Norton said of the theoretical influx of visitors, “I think everyone is curious about MGM and I think the vast majority of our customers will go down as curiosity, but they’ll come back because of who we are,” said the Cordish Group executive, suggesting that Maryland Live has the personal touch.
Norton added, “We know them by name, we know them as people.”
Linda Sherbet, a devoted Maryland Live customer, seemed to back up Norton’s remarks. When asked by the CBS News station in Baltimore about her gaming habits, Sherbet said of the Hanover, Maryland casino, “It’s the only one I come to. I like the people here. We’re definitely going to continue to do things that puts us in a position to do that, whether or not we can, I’m optimistic but time will tell.”
Cordish Companies
People should not be too concerned about the Cordish Group. Besides owning casino operations like Live! Hotel and Casino in Philadelphia and their Maryland Live! casino, the Cordish Companies owns commercial real estate developments, residential districts, restaurants, hotels, entertainment districts, and sports-anchored developments across the United States and around the globe.
The Cordish Companies were founded in 1910 and represent an old money establishment in the city of Baltimore. The Cordish family’s business has won a number of Urban Land Institute Awards for Excellence.
New Jersey Online Gambling Revenues
The New Jersey online gambling market posted record numbers, thanks in large part to the Golden Nugget’s continuing surge. The entire NJ online gambling industry produced $18.4 million in revenues in December 2016, which was a single-month record in the state. The numbers for PokerStars online poker site helped that total, but it is the Golden Nugget which is producing the biggest growth.
Golden Nugget’s Casino Stats
Golden Nugget’s casino-only brand produced $4.79 million in revenues for December. For the third time in four months, Golden Nugget’s online casino led the New Jersey gaming market. Golden Nugget’s surge has been a bit of a surprise, but its affiliation with SugarHouse Online Casino (owned by Rush Street Gaming) has proven to be a huge advantage for Golden Nugget Online.
Borgata, which led the online casino market since its founding in November 2013, placed a strong second with $3.71 million. Caesars Interactive was close to Borgata with $3.66 million.
The combination of Resorts Digital, Amaya Gaming, and PokerStars posted a $3.14 million in December, which is a far cry from the $1.3 million generated in December 2015 — before PokerStars was added to the mix. Carl Icahn’s Tropicana Online Casino, which does not offer poker, had $3.09 million in revenues. While that is the smallest of the five operators, those numbers represented a 9% increase over 2015.
