In phase two of reopening, you can gamble yet again. MGM National Harbor will bring back its resort and casino at half-capacity at 6 AM on Monday, June 29 with a slew of new safety protocols.
Employees and guests will be required to wear masks in public areas (they’ll provide one for free if you don’t have one), and everyone will undergo temperature checks via thermal scanners at the casino floor entrances.
Every other slot machine will be disabled to encourage social distancing, and plexiglass carriers have been set up at many table games. Poker, however, will not be available for now.
MGM Resorts has also designed custom standalone hand-washing stations that will be set-up across the 160,000-square-foot casino floor. Electrostatic sprayers will be used to disinfect large public areas.
The venue’s retail, restaurants, and bars—including Voltaggio Brothers Steak House, Ginger, and the food hall at National Market—will also open. Instead of menus, diners can scan QR codes. Guests can also take in waterfront views from the Potomac Plaza—but traffic patterns will be set up to keep everyone at a distance.
Also say goodbye to valet service for now. At least parking is free.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
