ARE BUFFETS BLASÉ? MGM National Harbor, the newest addition to the MGM Resorts International family, is located in National Harbor, Maryland just a short distance from Washington, D.C. The $1.3 billion, 24-story, 308-room resort, scheduled to open near the end of 2016, promises to offer guests premier amenities and experiences, including panoramic views of the eastern shore of the Potomac River.
The 125,000 square foot casino will include slots, table games and poker. The resort will also have a world-class spa and salon, a 3,000-seat entertainment theater, high-end branded retail, 27,000 square feet of meeting space, and restaurants from renowned local, national and international chefs.
What National Harbor will not have is – a buffet.
That is a little hard to comprehend here in Las Vegas, the Buffet Capital of the World, but the forward thinking MGM property is on top of the current trend toward fast casual dining. In fact, that trend was the inspiration for National Market, “a food market dining experience offering approachable cuisine at an affordable price.”
The market will include 10 unique venues, an open floor plan and both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the beautiful Potomac.
It sounds appetizing.
IT’S A BUNK: We hear an awful lot about Millennials these days, and why not. Those born between 1980-ish and 2000-ish (the dates vary depending on who you ask) are close to 80 million strong by some estimates and influence just about everything we do and the way we do it.
They are also a prime group of potential Las Vegas visitors, and marketing gurus up and down the Strip are constantly planning, revising, tweaking and re-tweaking ideas to convince them this is the place to have fun.
One casino becoming a trendsetter in this area is the LINQ. But their most recent quest to attract these sought after travelers to the center Strip resort doesn’t involve special games, unique foods or trendy shows. It is much simpler than that, it is a bunk bed.
Yes, beginning this month the LINQ is offering 12 rooms with some hip technology, chic décor, two queen size beds and a bunk bed, a first for Las Vegas as far as we know. With the extra bunk a large group of friends can crash in the same space and not spend a single moment apart.
Of course it is also an economical way for travelers to stay on the Strip without breaking the bank as rates start at just $69 for the 350 square foot room that includes USB charging stations and a 47-inch LED flat-screen TV.
IT’S A FACT: According to the American Gaming Association, 65% of sports fans say legal, regulated sports betting could strengthen the integrity of the games, and 80% of football fans say it is time to change sports betting laws. We couldn’t agree more.
See you around town.
Learn more about casino dining and entertainment here.
Eileen DiRocco is the owner and publisher of GamingToday, the bible for gaming news “you can bet on.” Contact Eileen at [email protected].