Proposed Casino Could Bring Las Vegas to the Potomac

[ybnormal]

Uh oh, bet no one [Maryland politicos and developers] saw this one coming. Oh wait, that's right, Stephanie, Jack Young and other city partiers, along with several county representatives, just took a boondoggle to Las Vegas to "drum up business for Baltimore" on the taxpayers' dime. Everything's under control folks; no need to panic.

Say what? A world class casino at the National Harbor on the Potomac River with great restaurants and spectacular views just down I95 from Maryland Live! and the other small casinos could spell disaster for Annapolis and Cordish.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bre...,6376579.story

Is there any end to the insanity?

[buzzthefuzz]

Uh oh, bet no one [Maryland politicos and developers] saw this one coming. Oh wait, that's right, Stephanie, Jack Young and other city partiers, along with several county representatives, just took a boondoggle to Las Vegas to "drum up business for Baltimore" on the taxpayers' dime. Everything's under control folks; no need to panic.

Say what? A world class casino at the National Harbor on the Potomac River with great restaurants and spectacular views just down I95 from Maryland Live! and the other small casinos could spell disaster for Annapolis and Cordish.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bre...,6376579.story

Is there any end to the insanity?

yb, yes, when the money runs out.

[Seadog]

National Harbor is a much more logical place for a casino than Arundle Mills. But when has logic ever had a role in the management of Maryland.

[Marshan Man]

National Harbor is a much more logical place for a casino than Arundle Mills. But when has logic ever had a role in the management of Maryland.

I disagree. AM is in the middle of the region. NH is damn near Virginia.

[ivanbalt]

I disagree. AM is in the middle of the region. NH is damn near Virginia.

True, but the National Harbor is more of a "destination". I know if I was going to travel a little ways to gamble, I'd take the NH over a mall in the burbs.

[regularguy]

I disagree. AM is in the middle of the region. NH is damn near Virginia.

But Virginia and DC don't have casinos. National Harbor would pull big-time from DC and Northern Virginia. Plus, NH gets lots of conventions. The more out-of-staters leaving their money in Maryland the better.

[Marshan Man]

True, but the National Harbor is more of a "destination". I know if I was going to travel a little ways to gamble, I'd take the NH over a mall in the burbs.

NH is little more than a mall in the burbs too...the water's pretty though...

[Marshan Man]

But Virginia and DC don't have casinos. National Harbor would pull big-time from DC and Northern Virginia. Plus, NH gets lots of conventions. The more out-of-staters leaving their money in Maryland the better.

Good point on the conventions with Gaylord... just don't think national harbor is as easily accessible as AM... and people from VA and DC would travel to AM anyway. Hell, they do it now just to go to the mall.


I hear more people frome there say they've been to AM vs. more people from here saying they've been to NH. Besides AM is right near the airport... that's always a good thing.

Either way it doesn't have ot be either or... I think there's room for all of them...

[sigmalady]

I think the accessibility is about equal.

[Seadog]

National Harbor is essentially a resort.
Arundle Mills is a shopping mall.

Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

[Seadog]

...
Either way it doesn't have ot be either or... I think there's room for all of them...

I agree, especially since none of them will ever get a cent of my money (except in the form of tax credits). I just feel in my gut that AM was a really stupid place to build a casino.

[BS21213]

I've never been to national harbor and don't feel like I'm missing anything but I agree the casinos should be there. arundel mills is a cheezy outlet mall (that I've also never been to). so? you put a casino at a mall?

So much of these MD casinos seem not thought out to me. Kind of like just a money grab for some folks.

[Marshan Man]

I've never been to national harbor and don't feel like I'm missing anything but I agree the casinos should be there. arundel mills is a cheezy outlet mall (that I've also never been to). so? you put a casino at a mall?

So much of these MD casinos seem not thought out to me. Kind of like just a money grab for some folks.

Who goes to outlet malls? Old ladies on bus trips...

Who goes to play slots? Old ladies on bus trips...

It's a win-win...

[regularguy]

Who goes to outlet malls? Old ladies on bus trips...

Who goes to play slots? Old ladies on bus trips...

It's a win-win...

Another plus for Arundel Mills is that they've brought in some good restaurants (e.g. a spin-off of Baltimore's Prime Rib) and a concert venue operated by Ram's Head. That would tempt me a lot more than gambling.

[Marshan Man]

Another plus for Arundel Mills is that they've brought in some good restaurants (e.g. a spin-off of Baltimore's Prime Rib) and a concert venue operated by Ram's Head. That would tempt me a lot more than gambling.

Same thing I said in the other thread about this... I'm ot a gamb;er at all, but I'll go to try new restaurants, and see some musical act I like at Ram's Head...

[slapshot]

Well, if you believe the PR:

"Arundel Mills draws 14 million visitors a year, it is Maryland’s #1 tourist destination."

http://www.westcountychamber.org/reg...s_Hanover.aspx


I would expect that the Arundel Mills location was chosen for several reasons, not least of which, is the expectation that they will get some walk-in/spill over traffic from the Mall...which they probably will.

[slapshot]

Also, I have to believe that given the strong Democtrat base in PGCo/Md, that state legislators will grant National Harbor a permit to establish a casino....

When that happens, that certainly will put the squeeze on the Arundel Mills location...with a casino to the North, and another one to the South. Seems foolish to me to have so many casino's in such a small area.

[DaggerJohn]

Has anyone done the economic research? Are people's pockets so deep that they will play and can support, what, five casinos in Maryland? At what point is there saturation? At what point do casinos become losing propositions?

Politicians act like the citizen's willingness to gamble is some sort of boundless golden goose. Is that moral?

Is it the function of government to continually encourage and seduce its citizens into losing money at state-sponsored casinos? At what point do ethical considerations kick in?

What then can be the argument (if there is any) against gambling if the almighty State makes it so attractive and the opportunities so abundant? Now that moral considerations are swept aside, why won't the State run taxed, licensed houses of prostitution? I mean, the cathouse revenues can be used to build schools and "help the kids"!

[Marshan Man]

Has anyone done the economic research? Are people's pockets so deep that they will play and can support, what, five casinos in Maryland? At what point is there saturation? At what point do casinos become losing propositions?

!

I don't think the idea is to fill these places with MDers...

..and if these places can fill enough different niches... I mean they're also entertainment venues... so people will go for other reasons..some will end up gambling...

How many people go to Vegas just to gamble?

[spojack895]

Also, I have to believe that given the strong Democtrat base in PGCo/Md, that state legislators will grant National Harbor a permit to establish a casino....

When that happens, that certainly will put the squeeze on the Arundel Mills location...with a casino to the North, and another one to the South. Seems foolish to me to have so many casino's in such a small area.

If it seems foolish to you, then do the math. In Las Vegas, there are 122 casinos (checked with Google) in a 15 mile x 15 mile area (225 square miles). That works out to 1.85 casinos (round up to 2) in EVERY SQUARE MILE.

I agree that oversaturation of these places in what causes their demise, and I am going to be the first to argue against a parlor in the National Harbor, but we will be nowhere nearly as crowded with casinos as AC or LV.

The best thing that could happen is that Maryland approves table gaming WITHOUT the expansion of casinos. Let them crawl before they can walk!