Gamblers Continue To Pour Into Maryland Live! Casino A Day After Its Grand Opening
HANOVER, Md. (WJZ)-- In its second day of business, Maryland Live! is drawing in tons of gamblers and tons of money. The casino is expected to generate millions of dollars for the state.
Derek Valcourt has more on the revenue rolling in.
There's constant traffic through the front doors of Maryland Live! Casino.
"It just feels like Las Vegas," one patron said.
In this much anticipated $500 million facility, there's plenty here for gamblers to love.
"Blackjack."
"I like the eateries."
"A lot of selections to play."
Try 3,100 gaming machines.
"They've never had anything better in Maryland. This casino is great!"
Great for jobs -- 1,500 new ones -- and great for tax revenue. The casino anticipates paying some $400 million to the state in its first year. It's a consolation to gamblers who don't win.
"It brings extra money in for funds for school and all that stuff that Maryland needs right now. So I thought it was a great idea," Amy Rexroth, who is visiting the casino, said.
Right now, four restaurants are inside the casino and by the fall, they'll add a fifth. It's a Baltimore staple, The Prime Rib.
They're still growing. Later this year, they'll add 1,500 more machines and a concert venue. It's welcome news considering on their opening night operators estimate more than 10,000 people walked through their doors.
"I came out today. It's still a madhouse," Craig Alexander, another casino visitor, said.
"People have come swarming in as a result of that excitement. So we should see a more normal crowd flow here shortly," Rob Norton, general manager of Maryland Live! Casino, said.
For most of the crowd here, it's the location that makes them feel like they've hit the jackpot.
"The shopping mall over there, the casino over here. I love it!"
"It's very close to Baltimore. Very friendly people here and it's right off the Beltway and you're here in 15 minutes."
"Now, at least we've got a casino that's beautiful and first class that we can come to and not have to take our money to another state," Joyce Brown, a casino patron, said.
The casino will be open Sunday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. On Friday and Saturday, it will stay open until 4 a.m.
