Md. county sees gambling measure potential

County leaders and developers of National Harbor say they believe Marylanders' approval of casino gambling will breathe excitement into Prince George's County. The measure, which squeaked by Tuesday, would allow table games at Maryland's five designated slot machine sites and permit a casino in Prince George's. MGM Resorts is jockeying to build a luxury resort that would open by 2016 and include tony retailers such as Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Hermes, and offer Las Vegas-worthy entertainment, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. Prince George's officials said the county could become an economic and cultural destination. "Having a destination resort will help Prince George's County. It will help the state," Baker said. He estimated the county could get $40 million a year from the casino. Opponents said they won't give up their fight. Former County Council member Thomas E. Dernoga, a lawyer and a longtime gambling opponent, filed suit recently on behalf of several community activists challenging the way votes were counted in the referendum process, the Post said. Penn National Gaming, which would like to get a license for a casino at Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, also questioned the referendum process and has complained the license award seems slanted to favor MGM. A state commission will make the final decision on who gets the license in Prince George's and where the casino will be built.