Maryland Live! Casino Scheduled to Open Summer 2012

The general manager of the new Maryland Live! project at Arundel Mills said the casino and entertainment complex is on track to open as soon as this summer.

At a meeting before members of the West Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce Tuesday morning, Rob Norton insisted that the casino will be safe, with well-lit garages, plazas and at least 80 security officers. 

"Bringing a casino into the community is a major change. But the concerns [about crime and safety] never materialize to the level that people anticipate," Norton, a 14-year veteran of the gaming industry, said. "The pros far outweigh the cons.”

“We’re not going to succeed if we can’t offer a safe environment,” Norton said. “I fully anticipate this being a safe environment.”

During the presentation, Norton also addressed one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the Maryland Live! construction. The structure currently visible includes the casino and its garage, he said.

“What you see is not just the garage, it’s the casino. It’s all one building. The casino will have seven floors of parking on top of it,” he said.

The structure will be 1.8 million square feet, with 330,000 square feet of internal space for guests, Norton said. The casino will not only hold 4,700 slot machines, it will also host live entertainment seven nights a week in a room that holds roughly 500 people.

Norton told chamber members the casino is projected to bring in $400 million in taxable revenue and $30 million in revenue for Anne Arundel County, while creating 1,500 permanent jobs for local residents.

The casino is projected to open in the summer of 2012, but area residents can begin applying for jobs as early as next week, Norton said. Interested guests can also visit the “preview center” inside Arundel Mills mall to learn more about the features of the facility.

Residents familiar with Arundel Mills know the mall can create a hellish traffic scenario for shoppers, but Norton said pre-existing traffic problems will be addressed thanks to the casino’s arrival.

Arundel Mills Boulevard will be the primary road to enter the casino, but intersections will be widened to address “choke points” throughout the traffic pattern, Norton said. He also said that there are no plans in the works to create an exit from Route 100 directly to the casino.

Prior to answering questions, Norton guided chamber members through a virtual tour of the casino, highlighting the state-of-the-art “R Bar,” featuring digital roulette tables and high-end dining options with a restaurant by chef Bobby Flay and a Cheesecake Factory. While the casino will only allow guests 21 or older, the restaurants will be open to all ages.

Norton said the local economy will not only benefit from guests coming from Maryland, but that the Maryland Live! project could attract residents from Virginia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

With the casino's close proximity to BWI Airport, Norton said he wouldn’t be surprised if people came from even farther to enjoy all the location will offer. Roughly 1,400 hotel rooms exist within one mile of the Maryland Live! location. 

To counteract the casino’s environmental impact, Norton said the casino will be the first he’s seen that operates completely paperless.