New sports betting and entertainment venue
A retrofit project converting an existing food market into a new casino floorspace and sports betting venue with an added bar.
Key Partners
- Hamilton Anderson Associates
- W Squared Consulting
- KNA Design
- GSA
- Illuminating Concepts
AWARDS
WBC Craftsmanship Awards, Electrical Lighting Systems, 2022
$6,266,000
VALUE
24 weeks
SCHEDULE
7,000
SQUARE FEET
2021
YEAR COMPLETED
597
INDIVIDUALLY HUNG CZECHOSLOVAKIAN
CHANDELIER PENDANTS
With the legalization of sports betting in Maryland, the BETMGM Sportsbook & Lounge at MGM National Harbor was built to be the first venue of its kind.
Client Goals
MGM Resorts and BetMGM decided to retrofit part of the National Market into more casino floorspace and a sportsbook and lounge. The sportsbook and lounge are equipped with a sports betting counter, a 110-foot wraparound screen, and a 360-degree, two-sided jumbotron to ensure every guest has a great view of sports entertainment from all seats.
Design Vision
The design concept was mainly inspired by the local landscape, with a heavy nautical influence. The curves are inspired by the Potomac River to the west and are evident in the oculus ceiling, elliptical bar, and curved furniture.
Construction Focus
During construction, MGM had an unknown go-live date, given that the Maryland Gaming Commission was still in the process of legalizing sports betting in the state. Due to this uncertainty, the HITT team including owners, designers, and subcontractors, worked together through constant communication and collaboration to keep the project on schedule while concurrently resolving any issues that arose during the preconstruction and construction phases.
All Eyes on the Screens
The highlight of the sportsbook is its digital screens. With a 360-degree, two-sided jumbotron positioned above the bar and a 110-foot wraparound screen positioned along the back wall, fans are easily able to have their eyes on the game of their choice. An electric privacy screen can divide the space into two allowing for the back wraparound screen to be viewed privately by fans positioned in theatre-style seats.
Immersive Bar
The elliptical bar with a jumbotron allows patrons to follow multiple games at once. Leather swivel chairs are mounted into the floor and numerous seats are positioned in front of individual built-in video gaming machines.
Intricate Lighting
The sportsbook is defined with distinct decorative lighting. Above, an array of chandeliers from Czechoslovakia are dangling along a subtle curve to separate the bar from the viewing area. The viewing area is cautiously lit by recessed lighting and the oculus ceiling features LED lights that can be programmed to change colors. Finally, decorative metal sconces are positioned on the back wall transitioning from the bar to the viewing area.
BetMGM Sportsbook & Lounge is our newest addition to MGM National Harbor, and we couldn’t have been granted the first sports wagers in the state of Maryland without the HITT team's proactive management of the schedule and clear communication. We had a unique schedule challenge given Maryland’s go-live date was ever-changing due to the legalization of sports betting in the state. This state-of-the-art space is a true testament to HITT’s dedication to quality and leadership, and we couldn't be happier with the end product.
ERNEST LEWIS
MGM National Harbor | Vice President of Facilities
Unique Challenges, Smart Solutions
Ambitious projects require carefully constructed solutions
Challenge
Due to an expedited schedule to complete the project in time for Maryland’s go-live date, the HITT team collaborated on innovate ways to deliver the project quickly and efficiently.
Solution
Instead of completing the bar rough-in and jumbotron separately, we used scaffolding to complete this work concurrently. By introducing the scaffolding, our team was able to work in two places at the same time and simultaneously completed the MEP rough-ins and structural framing.
Challenge
With natural forms and nautical themes influencing the design, there were many curved design elements that needed design-assist to ensure its constructability.
Solution
While constructing the design in the field, the HITT team found that many of the ellipses and curves intended to align with the raised platform beneath the bar were not accurately manufactured. By collaborating with the designers, we could coordinate shop drawings and CAD drawings to make changes in real-time. Some materials were prefabricated to meet the schedule while other items, such as furniture, required coordination with the FF&E vendor to ensure these pieces would fit in the space properly.
Challenge
The Maryland go-live date for sports betting was constantly in flux which in turn influenced the schedule. To ensure the sportsbook was ready for a tentative a go-live date of September 2021, the design was still being evolved when HITT mobilized on-site.
Solution
HITT and the design team were in constant communication to ensure the design team and owner’s visions were coming to life. The team relied on shop and CAD drawings to implement the plans in real time. The HITT team then relayed this information to all subcontractor partners to ensure that everyone was confident with their scope of work. Due to this team effort, the teams were able to come together and bring BetMGM’s conceptualizations to fruition.
OpenSpace
OpenSpace, a 360-degree video capture software, was utilized to catalog interactive panoramas from different positions around the project and at different durations of the schedule to allow project stakeholders to see progress made without having to be on-site. This tool allowed the entire project team to have instant access to the project no matter their physical location ensuring that project teams were up-to-date with the information they needed to make decisions to keep the project moving forward.
The Results
A sports fan's paradise
Easily place a bet at the counter, and enjoy following along with games at the bar or viewing area.
Place bets at the sportsbook counter on the right before heading to watch a game at the bar.
The multi-purpose viewing area has direct views of the 110-foot wraparound screen. A privacy screen can descend to make this space semi-private and the theater-style chairs are removable for a cocktail-style room layout.
Conveniently located right off of typical MGM casino floor space is the BetMGM betting counter.
With ample seating arrangements and two impressive screens, fans can easily follow along with games of their choice..
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