MGM’s Prince George’s County casino proposal did well with analysts reviewing the location, but competitors argue the consultants are looking at it all wrong.
MGM’s proposed location at National Harbor set it apart from its competitors.
“MGM has a better location,” said Will Cummings of Cummings Associates. “MGM is almost three to four minutes closer to everyone in the market place.”
Consultants told the Video Lottery Commission that most of Prince George’s gamblers will come from Virginia and tourists in D.C. Analysts said MGM’s location at the corner of the Beltway and I-295 outweighs the advantage of the larger casino proposed by Parx.
“They’re starting from a premise that makes no sense, which is that three to four minutes matters, which it doesn’t,” said Greenwood Racing CEO Tony Ricci, who wants the Parx casino off Indian Head Highway.
All proposed sites are just minutes apart, and Penn National Gaming spokeswoman Karen Bailey agreed that driving a few minutes from the Beltway to Rosecroft Raceway shouldn’t mean less money for the state.
“I think the one commissioner’s question was an interesting one, the fact that he said if there is only one choice, what does three to four minutes matter?” she said.
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But the consultants said location is so important that they project MGM to have higher revenue if its site is selected. They project $713 million in revenue for and MGM casino compared to $560 million for Penn National and $682 million for Parx.
“We think the consultant report reflects the same thing we’ve been saying all along: We are the best company with the best proposal at the best location,” MGM spokesman Gordon Absher said.
“One of the consultants actually rated us as a better facility,” Ricci said. “The other consultant said we are as good as MGM, so I don’t understand how you then conclude we won’t do as much revenue.”
The gaming commission’s final decision is expected at the end of the month.
