On May 19, 2015, at the National Capital Section (NCS) meeting, Daniel Hanlon, P.E. provided an overview on the construction and design of the MGM National Harbor, a destination gaming resort under construction in southern Prince George’s County, MD. Upon completion, the $925 million resort will include a 300-room luxury hotel, a casino featuring 3,600 slots and 140 table games, a 1,200-seat theater, high-end retail, 35,000 square feet of meeting space, and premier restaurants. MGM was awarded a license to operate the casino in December 2013.
Daniel Hanlon, P.E., from the McKissack & McKissack project management team discussed some of the key elements to managing the complex, fast-tracked project to NCS meeting attendees. First, he provided a site overview and described the site’s design, from the fountain to clean sweeping roof of the casino, to how the hotel tower pays tribute to the National Mall. Mr. Hanlon then described in detail the exterior and interior design elements, including the floor plan and elevation views. He also described how the proposed finishes take suggestions from nautical references such as ships, sails, and tides, and showed attendees several examples.
Next, Mr. Hanlon discussed the project management and technical engineering aspects of the project, from foundation considerations to roof design; as well as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing elements of the 3,000,000 square foot facility. Mr. Hanlon noted that when working with numerous specialized consultants and contractors working simultaneously, communication is critical to ensuring all the pieces come together efficiently and eliminate surprises. The use of building information modeling, construction of full-scale models, and ongoing constructability reviews has been key to the team’s success. The project is on schedule for completion by October 31, 2016. The meeting concluded with an audience question and answer session.
For more information on the MGM National Harbor project, please visit www.mgmnationalharbor.com.
Mr. Daniel Hanlon, P.E., Senior Program Director, McKissack & McKissack. About the Presenter: Daniel Hanlon, P.E., has more than 40 years’ experience in facility management and administration and management of engineering design, construction and operations for complex facilities and infrastructure with particular emphasis on project and program management, strategic and budgetary planning and organizational operations. Prior to joining McKissack & McKissack, he served as Director of Capital Programs and Construction Management for American University, managing a capital construction budget of $450 million.
