(announcer) from the nation's capital, "eye on washington with marilee joyce" a weekly discussion about the federal issues most important to nevada. and now, from washington, d.c., here's marilee joyce. >> well, good day to you. i'm marilee joyce. this is "eye on washington."

news program produced in washington, d.c. every week "eye on washington" takes you straight to capitol hill for a discussion with nevada's delegation and other leaders about the federal matters that matter most to you. today's topic, gaming's expansion around the nation and around the globe. a look at mgm resort international's newest venture and what it means to mgm, the gaming industry and nevada's economy. and my very special guests today are mr. lorenzo creighton, the president and ceo of mgm national harbor and former u.s. congressman mr. steven horsford. the congressman now owns the communication firm r&r resources plus, which is leading the brand markets for mgm national harbor and his firm also represents the american gaming association. and thanks so much to both of you for being here today. >> thank you. >> appreciate it. well, when casino tycoon kirk kerkorian bought the controlling stake in metro-goldwyn-mayer film

the studio into the gaming industry with the opening of mgm grand casino in 1973, could he have foreseen mgm's and all of gaming's national and international expansion? well, today on "eye on washington," we're going to look at the gaming industry's expansion across the country and around the world. we'll look at mgm grand national harbor and what this maryland-based resort means to mgm and the gaming industry in general. and we're going to introduce you to mr. creighton and also learn what the congressman has capitol hill. well, it was back in 1931 when freshman nevada state assemblyman phil tobin introduced assembly bill number 98 which allowed for wide open gambling. in march of that year, the bill was signed into law by governor fred balzar. the legislation allowed the rise of gaming industry and regulated modern casino as we know it today. here is some trivia for you. in 1931, the first gaming license in las vegas awarded

club on freemont street. and the riverside hotel on virginia street got the first gaming license awarded in reno. that ladder hotel got a lot of its business not just from gambling, but from what? the growing divorce industry. so, mr. creighton, we've got a lot to get to today, of course. but i thought we'd spend this first segment just looking at gaming's growth in general and what that expansion has meant to the nevada economy. >> well, you know, it's a good opportunity for companies like markets. and it also creates new customers for las vegas. but, you know, the property that we are going to open mgm national harbor on december 8th is a perfect example of that type of expansion. what better to be right next to washington, d.c. than to have a showcase property of this magnitude that close to d.c.? it's a good opportunity for us to showcase the brand as well

outside of las vegas. >> and we're excited to tell our statewide viewers and listeners all about it. i've got tons of details coming up later in the show. and speaking of telling people about it, congressman, when you left the hill, of course, a lot of people missed you. but you said you know what,i've. i'm going to join up with r&r and start my own communications firm. now you have r&r resources plus, which not only handles brand marketing for mgm communications firm for the american gaming association. and the gaming aga lobbyists here in d.c. for the gaming industry is very focused on advocating for federal legislation that strongly supports nevada's top industry. as gaming grows, what are some of the main focuses of recent gaming efforts here on the hill? >> well, as you know, i have been a proponent of nevada's largest industry gaming from

the culinary training academy in nevada partners. >> sure. >> and i saw firsthand how this industry partners with local community organizations to help individuals get the training, the support and the job placement to participate in this industry. and nevada has been the model for that. and with the leadership of people like lorenzo creighton, those models are now being adopted in these new ju workforce training, making sure that we have a diverse workforce. >> sure. >> in these new jurisdictions that are opening up, as well as helping suppliers and vendors and companies, minority women, veteran-owned businesses also find an opportunity to do business. so that's a big priority for the american gaming association as it is for companies like mgm resorts. >> and speaking again of mgm resorts and your work

together on this show. how, not ironic, but how coincidental is it that, you know, we have mr. creighton who is based in las vegas and in nevada for so long, which we are going to get to later in the program, a former congressman, the two of you knew even other. the two of you now are working together because of your ownership of r&r resources plus being the brand marketing firm for the mgm harbor. tellmo effort. >> well, through again the leadership of mr. creighton and the team at mgm national harbor, we were selected as one of the agencies to help them brand, communicate, do outreach on behalf of the property. and so for more than a year and a half now, we have been working side by side as partners in prince george's county, maryland. >> sure. >> talking about all the great

that community and to the state of maryland. and as lorenzo just said, the benefit that that returns to las vegas because the dmv customers want that las vegas experience. and no one can match las vegas like las vegas. >> absolutely. please expand on that as well as to tell us -- i know the brand marketing efforts are going well because i hear, you know, here in the washington area where i live so much radio, television, etc. information on it. but tell us about other efforts for it. >> well, it was a natural meeting with r&r resources plus because i had an opportunity to work with billy vassiliadis back many years ago when i ran flamingo. and i knew steven from a long time ago. and i thought it was just a natural for mgm national harbor to bring them in because two known commodities for me. and they have done an

brand positioned in this market. >> excellent. when we return, we're going to look at mgm resort's exciting new project, the mgm national harbor and why nevadans should hope it succeeds. we're going to tell you all hope it succeeds. we're going to tell you all that next. (announcer) >>you're watching "eye on washington with marilee joyce."

maude: how long have we been married, dear? charles: for 76 years.

and he was kind and generous to me all these years. we decided on meals on wheels because i was getting to the point where i couldn't do all the things that i had been able to do. we're the spanns. america, let's do lunch. narrator: drop off a hot meal and say hello. volunteer by donating your lunch break at americaletsdolunch.org. >> and welcome back totototototo d d d d d d d d mgmgresosos coming m m national harbor and why it matters to nevada's economy. my special guests today are mr. lorenzo creighton, the president and ceo of mgm national harbor and former congressman steven horsford. he owns r&r resources plus firm which is heading brand marketing for the harbor project. well, let's look now at mgm's latest project. the mgm national harbor is a $1.3 billion resort located in

maryland. it's one resort with a multitude of pieces. it's got a 3,000 seat arena designed to host concerts, headliners and boxing. a 21-story 308-room luxury hotel. a 26,582 square foot spa and salon. 12 restaurants. roughly 20,000 square feet of high-end retail. nearly 28,000 square feet of conference space. and, of course, a huge casino boasting more than 3300 video lottery terminals and 160 table games. pretty exciting, mr. creighton. tell us some more. >> no, it's an exciting project. when you see this project, the one thing that impresses you when you go inside is that it would be competitive on the las vegas strip. the quality of the fit and the finish and the quality of the rooms and the product is just i mean over the top in comparison to anything that you would see anywhere close

everyone that walks through the property is just blown away by the quality. for example, the atrium which is kind of modeled after the whole concept of the bellagio atrium -- >> sure, sure. >> but it's bigger and two stories. and it is just so impressive. >> wow. >> and it will be a must-see in this market. >> it's on track to open? >> december 8th. >> before the end of the year, wow. >> so we're excited about that. and we've got a great entertainment du so we've got some great things coming at that project. >> congressman, tell us more about how r&r resources plus is working alongside mr. creighton on this project. >> well, with lorenzo and his team, we have been partnering with them on a number of key initiatives. one of which is the phenomenal art program that they will have showcased as part of the property. >> oh. >> and making sure that the local artists and the national

showcased. that's been a big part of the vision of jim murren, the chairman and ceo of mgm resorts. and as part of the qualities that make this a fully integrated resort, it's much more than -- >> and where would they be placed? the art? >> throughout the entire property. >> yeah. i mean we commissioned -- and jim's vision about really being a part of the communities that we do business, we commissioned several artists, some african-american artists. this mural made out of mud from the local site where we actually built the facility. and there's another mosaic that was done by a local artist. and so we've got some beautiful -- >> and those are there now? >> absolutely. they are in place. they are actually pretty much done for all practical purposes. >> you know, mr. creighton, your general manager mr. bill boasberg told the press, quote, once it's built, if you put it in the middle of the

tell us more. >> you know he is exactly right. i mean it is a beautiful property, and extremely well done and designed. and look, some of the things that we looked at in casino projects over the years, we made them better in this project. and great food outlets. great art. great flow into the property. anane tower itself is this all-glass tower. it kind of replicates the washington monument. and it has this glass that glows at night. and the steps look like a plinth. it's a really well thought out, well designed facility property. >> good chefs coming? >> you know, great chefs. we have jose andres from d.c. you know, no longer with mr. trump. we have marcus samuelsson out of harlem, great restaurateur out of harlem.

voltaggio. so this is the first restaurant where the two brothers got together and did a restaurant. so a great food hall emporium that will have a lot of local favorites like papa's crab cakes. so we're excited. >> we're out of time for this segment. but we ought to point out, you know, nevada certainly knows the word recession. and nevadans who don't know a lot about the national harbor project, this is a big happy revival story. the national harbor opened eight years ago in the m of the recession. and when you look at eight years later, this big project coming now, it's kind of an out of the ashes beautiful, great. >> i mean it's really done well for the region. in anticipation of the project opening, a lot of new restaurants, you know, retail in the area. really just an anticipation of this project. we call it the rising tide. so it really, really helped the community. >> when we return, gaming's

expansion. why nevadans should pay attention.

>> and welcome back to "eye on washington," our look at mgm resort's continued national and international expansion. my guests today are mr. lorenzo creighton, the president of mgm national harbor and former nevada u.s. congressman steven horsford. the congressman's firm is handling brand marketing for

george's county, maryland based project. so what do mgm, las vegas sands corporation, caesars entertainment, boyd's gaming, wynn resorts have in common? well, you might not visit their nevada properties and think of them -- or you might visit the nevada properties and think of them as your local casino. but these actually are ntic corporations with projects spread across the nation and around the globe. in just the case of mgm resorts international, there are properties in nevada, maryland, michigan, new jersey, massachus, caesars entertainment properties in eight u.s. states as well as canada, the u.k., egypt and south africa. las vegas sands owns hotels in nevada, pennsylvania, china and singapore. just to name a few. and, congressman, now you have turned in politics for most of your working years. a big part of nevada politics focused on gaming. it is the economic engine of the state. right now the industry associated with nevada has

hasn't it? >> well, it has. and while we will continue to be the engine that drives nevada's economy and i know through the governor and our legislative efforts they are continuing to diversify nevada's economy with other industries to help grow the state, the expansion of gaming throughout the united states and throughout the world, as you noted, is all modeled really after the nevada experience, the regulations that are in place, manof state laws that are in place. most of the major operators who are headquartered in las vegas are responsible for the tremendous expansion that occurs. and this is all about, you know, job opportunity, business development, the amount of economic investment that goes into one of these properties is tremendous. >> mr. creighton, why should a nevada viewer or listener paying attention to this

sands, caesars, mgm property that's on the other side of the globe from where they are? >> well, it strengthens las vegas. you know, that relationship between -- >> and nevada as a whole as well. >> yeah, nevada as a whole, it strengthens the nevada economy by having these satellite properties in places like maryland where mgm national harbor is. you know, we have 68,000 employees who are all tied together. and, you know, that esprit de corps as well culture that has been created with mgm is exported back and forth. so it's a win-win-win all the way around for the nevada economy. >> you mentioned the flamingo. you have a long history in nevada as a leader there in gaming. is the mgm national harbor project the first one you have seen through from dirt to completion? >> it's the first one that i have seen through with mgm. i actually ran mgm detroit shortly after it opened, so i

property, also. and albeit similar, but different markets. but mgm national harbor i came in 2012. and we did the referendum and four years later we are essentially opening the property. so yes, for that four-year period. >> thank you. when we return, we're going to meet my guests and find out what they think needs to be done on capitol hill to strengthen and support gaming. we're going to find out a lot

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>> and we are back with our closing segment of today's show on the mgm national harbor project and gaming's continued expansion across the country and around the world. mr. lorenzo creighton, the president and ceo of mgm national harbor and former nevada u.s. congressman steven horsford. so just who are my guests? well, lorenzo creighton is the president of mgm national harbor project now, but he has a long and largely nevada based gaming industry background. he was the first african-american to be named as president of a major las vegas casino resort. he has 20-plus years of experience in government

and mr. steven horsford is a former nevada u.s. congressman who served nevada's 4th congressional district from 2013 to 2015. and prior to that, he was a long time member of the nevada state senate. and following his term on capitol hill, as we have said, he opened the communications firm r&r resources plus. mr. creighton, you have come a long way. i have a quote from mr. jim murren, chairman and ceo of mgm resorts international we talked about earlier. he said, quote, "lorenzo creighton is one of the most highly respected leaders in the resort and casino profession." how are you bringing all that past leadership to your role here? >> well, it's just a wealth of experience over the years. and you have an opportunity to avail yourself of all of the things that you have learned. coming into a new jurisdiction, like the dmv can be challenging. and so working through the

so it all kind of came together. >> you know, former congressman horsford, this is a show we look at federal issues as well as issues in general that nevadans care about. i do want to close out today's show letting you tell us regarding not just this project, but regarding just gaming in general -- what are some of the priorities on the hill regarding gaming? and how have the gaming issues on the hilch the short time you have been away? >> well, first, gaming is like every other major business industry. they have issues and concerns around workforce, taxation, regulation issues. and so as the american gaming association, they are the voice here at the federal level to make sure members of congress and senators understand and federal agencies understand the important role that this

investment and employees and in the economies where those projects operate throughout this country. and so what's different now than just a few years ago is that we are growing and expanding. this industry is investing more and more. and so that's why their voice is so important here in washington, d.c. >> mr. creighton, great to have you on the show today. >> thank you. >> congressman, don't be a stranger. good to have you on again. >> thank you so much. >> that does wrap up this ek show. we are always here for you, though, providing all the federal news nevadans need to know. just go to our website joycecommunications.com. >> that is it for this week. thanks for joining us on "eye on washington." i'm marilee joyce in washington, d.c. i hope you have a great day

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