MGM Fetes National Harbor Debut

December 28, 2016

Tyler Davidson

The much-anticipated opening of the Washington, D.C. area’s MGM National Harbor featured a raft of notables, including actress Sarah Jessica Parker, who personally fitted guests at her first standalone shoe boutique, SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker, and top D.C. politicos.

Some 5,000 guests also enjoyed entertainment from Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group. The $1.4 billion, 308-room property with 50,000 square feet of meeting space offers a 3,000-seat theater embodying MGM’s mission of being in the business of entertainment.

“Everything we do is about entertainment,” said Sheila Hession, executive director of sales for MGM National Harbor, who added a new CVB, Visit National Harbor, will help promote the property along with the nearby Gaylord National Harbor Resort & Convention Center, which offers 2,000 rooms and 500,000 square feet of meeting space. “I think we’re going to be a perfect complement to each other.”

With MGM bringing the sizzle—and gaming—to this emerging destination on the Potomac, a new meetings magnet is being born.

“I really believe we’re going to change the face of the area,” Hession said.

About the author

Tyler Davidson is the vice president and chief content director for Meetings Today, which publishes the meetings industry trade magazine Meetings Today as well as MeetingsToday.com, various newsletters, webinars, the in-person Meetings Today LIVE! Hosted-buyer events and other meetings and events industry B2B channels.

Tyler has covered the travel trade for nearly 35 years. In his role with Meetings Today, which recently won the prestigious FOLIO: Eddies Award for best magazine issue, Tyler leads the editorial team on its mission to provide the most in-depth meetings content in the industry. Previously, he worked as the Asia, Canada, Pacific Northwest and Western U.S. editor at Travel Weekly magazine and TravelAge West. Before joining the dual editorial staff producing destination sections for Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, Tyler was the Africa, Israel, Middle East, Switzerland and Pacific Northwest editor at TravelAge West. He also undertook general news and feature assignments while working at the magazines.

Besides reporting on the travel trade, Tyler has covered the real estate industry, held various editorial positions at the San Francisco-based national satire magazine The Nose, wrote freelance technology industry pieces and covered the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders for a bilingual newspaper in San Francisco. He has a B.A. in Journalism from San Francisco State University, where he worked in various editorial capacities on its award-winning student magazine, Prism.

Contact: tyler.davidson@meetingstoday.com