Promised Funds from MGM National Harbor Casino Not Reaching Community, Officials Say

^{Money from the MGM National Harbor casino is supposed to be flowing into the surrounding Maryland community. Residents say they haven't seen it. (Image: Cropper / Alamy)}

When MGM National Harbor Casino opened in 2016, it came with the promise of “impact funds” that were designed to provide resources to local communities. But officials say that money has been used incorrectly by county leaders, and residents want to see the resources they were promised. 

The impact funds were designed to improve the lives of residents in communities within a six-mile radius of the casino, rather than for general use.

County Allocating Funds to ‘Basic Government Services’

However, Prince George County Council Vice Chair Edward Burroughs says that the money has gone to basic services rather than its intended use.

“The county government has taken our property tax dollars, placed them in other parts of the county, and used this fund that was supposed to be for additional resources to essentially maintain basic government services,” Burroughs said, via FOX 5 out of Washington, DC. “So in reality, the constituents never saw the additional resources that were promised.”

In this case, the problem doesn’t lie with the casino. MGM has been distributing the portion of its revenue that was promised to the county government, but local organizations say they’re not seeing the benefits.

“Use the funds for what they were intended to be used for,” Patricia Monroe, president of the South Lawn Citizens Association, told FOX 5. “A lot of people don’t even know this money was set aside for the impact area.”

Proposal Would Move $9.7M to Community Support

Others have pointed to the priorities of the incoming Trump administration as a reason to fix the distribution of the MGM funds as soon as possible.

“Especially in the climate that we’re in right now, people need this more than ever, because the federal government is trying to cut programs for those in need,” said Monique Taylor, president of the Camp Spring Civic Association.

Burroughs is proposing a solution that would direct $9.7 million in spending that would direct the impact funds to programs in his district (District 8). The funds would go to programs that include veteran assistance, food security, senior citizen support, and housing and foreclosure assistance, among other areas. 

A county council committee approved the proposal on Tuesday, setting the stage for a public hearing on Feb. 18. A final vote on the proposal will likely take place during that meeting.

MGM National Harbor has generated the greatest revenues of any casino in Maryland since opening, regularly leading the way among the six casinos operating in the state.