Murren woos Maryland; Downtown Grand shows promise

After hinting at a low-key design for his National Harbor casino proposal, MGM Resorts International CEO Jim Murren rolled out something fairly spectacular. The terraced, canopied design looks not a little futuristic and the Las Vegas Review-Journal was right to say it invoked “shades of Vegas.” Provided one does not use “Vegas” as a pejorative term, bringing design ideas from Sin City to the nation’s capital is perfectly fine.

Edward Abeyta‘s design subsumes elements of CityCenter and The Mirage into an entirety that would certainly make an impact on the Strip. Parking and other necessities are concealed within the bulk of the structure, leaving the canopy level free for gambling and amenities, to say nothing of photo opportunities. MGM’s mandate for Abeyta was to create something that harmonized with D.C. landmarks. We could call it the beginning of MGM’s “Federal Style.” Whatever the case, rivals Greenwood Racing and Penn National Gaming have been given an extremely difficult act to follow. Your move, gentlemen.

Elsewhere … work continues apace on the Downtown Grand, with its new, “industrial chic” aesthetic. Executives lay heavy emphasis on the degree with which they want the resurrected Lady Luck to interact with its Downtown Vegas surroundings, not suck customers into a casino vortex. A range of amenities from beverage service to sports betting will be available at walk-up, on-street windows. And those who fondly remember Kim Canteenwalla‘s cuisine from Society at Encore will make the Stewart + Ogden grill a must-visit. It’s been a while since a casino opening excited me but this one definitely has some buzz, perhaps for having been so tantalizingly delayed.

Adelson loses again. Fortunately for him, he’s as much of a success in business as he is a failure in litigation.

Pusateri returns. Back from the wilderness is longtime gambling executive Paul Pusateri. He left his last posting was a 10-month tenure at the hard luck Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which left “to pursue other opportunities.” (Translation: Was shown the door.) He’s landed a juicy new job, though: He’ll be COO of erstwhile Harrah’s Entertainment project Baha Mar, doubling as GM of the eponymous casino-hotel (part of a four-hotel complex). S&G congratulates Pusateri. It’s nice to see that a good man can’t be kept down.