The National Harbor was lit up Thursday night as the doors to the MGM Casino and Resort officially opened to the public.
It's finally a reality. After nearly four years and 1.4 billion dollars, the MGM National Harbor is live.
At 11:00 p.m., the doors opened to the general public and from that point on, they will never close again.
MGM National Harbor will be open 24/7. Before they opened Thursday evening, about 5,000 special guests got to attend and exclusive party.
"We are from Prince George's County and we just came back from Vegas. So to come back and see this in our home town is unbelievable," said Terry Roberts.
Shop owners stood proudly at their new store front, like Krista Johnson of Ella Rue.
"We are so blessed to be a part of this family," said Johnson. "I think people will realize it's more than a casino, it's a resort, it's a shopping destination, I just don't think people will realize it until they come."
Celebrities like Jose Andres, the Voltaggio brothers and Sarah Jessica Parker were on hand.
Everyone in attendance realized just how special Thursday evening was.
"It's absolutely beautiful," says another guest. "Lots of lights, lots of glamor, lots of fun, lots of gambling and beautiful people."
The glitz and the glam, the fame and the potential for fortune, it was all there. The possibilities inside were endless, too. As are the rewards for Prince George's County: hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenue and 2,000 new jobs.
We're live at the grand opening of @MGMNatlHarbor! @wusa9 #thisismonumental pic.twitter.com/eqyB4sKZHE
— Nikki Burdine (@NikkiBurdine) December 8, 2016
Vegas, schmagas, tonight, the spotlight is on Prince George's County.
"I don't think anything in the history of DC has ever been this grand," said Johnson. "It feels like prom!"
With no Metro stop nearby, driving will be the most popular way to get to the casino.
Traffic on the beltway wasn't bad Thursday, but the side streets aren't built for that kind of volume.
Cars backed up and Prince George's County police manned every intersection near the casino trying to get too many cars into too few parking spots.
Drivers said they were frustrated but also happy to be part of the big night.
The unique 11 p.m. start time was late enough to be after rush hour, but specific enough that a lot of people tried to arrive all at once.
