The US$1.4 billion MGM National Harbor, is in Prince George’s County, Maryland, some 20 minutes from central Washington, D.C. No-one realized before its opening, in December 2016, how successful the 308-room hotel and its casino would be (within a few months colleagues opted to give part of their carpark over to guests, to allow more to drive here to play the tables). But, even before the start, encouraging both guests and colleagues to recycle was part of the venture’s culture.
Around the inside of the property are 135 recycling bins, specifically designed to blend aesthetically into the décor. They are easily identifiable, and yes, they are used by guests. In addition, back-of-house colleagues separate trash from recyclables before everything leaves the resort (this commitment is an MGM company-wide philosophy: for the last year of accounting, over 7,046 tons of cardboard, 2,240 tons of plastic, and 556 tons of metal were recycled).
At MGM National Harbor, Melonie Ducre Johnson has been president and COO since December 2017, and, having joined MGM in Robinsonville MS in June 2015 she was already well versed in the importance of recycling.
“Here at MGM National Harbor we fully value and understand the importance of preserving our environment, which is why we are following a recently-announced company-wide initiative to remove all plastic straws from restaurants and lounges. Recycling is a high-priority element of our commitment to sustainability and I am personally ensuring it is incorporated throughout our entire resort,” she says.