MGM National Harbor has a new president and chief operating officer in Chris Gumiela, a longtime MGM Resorts executive whose entire career has been with the casino company.
Following the retirement of Melonie Johnson, Gumiela will lead one of MGM’s most profitable properties. With gross gaming revenue of more than $823.2 million in 2025, MGM National Harbor ranked second in casino win for venues located off the Las Vegas Strip.
Gumiela brings over 20 years of experience in land-based and online casino management. He also returns to the capital region, where he worked from August 2017 through July 2020 as the vice president of marketing at MGM National Harbor. He most recently worked as the senior vice president of interactive operations at MGM Resorts International.
I’m thrilled to be back in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) and look forward to expanding the ways MGM National Harbor serves as an entertainment capital for our region and a pillar in community engagement for Prince George’s County,” said Gumiela.
In 2006, fresh out of college, Gumiela joined MGM as a member of the company’s Management Associate Program. He’s since climbed the corporate ladder to lead one of the organization’s most coveted assets.
Entertainment Capital in Nation’s Capital
Gumiela takes the reins of MGM National Harbor as the destination is set to welcome a mini version of the Las Vegas Sphere. The $1.4 billion project recently secured up to $215 million in public financing, with Sphere Entertainment, controlled by New York billionaire James Dolan, to pay back the money through future property, sales, hotel occupancy, and amusement tax revenue.
Sphere National Harbor will be built on 14 acres located directly north of MGM National Harbor. The 6,000-seat immersive entertainment venue will be connected to the casino and its 2,200 slot machines and 215 table games. Sphere is expected to further increase demand for MGM’s 308 hotel rooms.
MGM reported a hotel occupancy rate of 89% for its regional operations in 2025, a segment that includes MGM National Harbor. Located just across the Potomac River from Washington, DC, MGM National Harbor already commands steep rates, with rooms regularly going for over $700 a night on the weekends.
Sphere National Harbor aims to become a major year-round draw, offering an array of immersive experiences, including concerts, theater, and brand events.
Sphere ‘Exosphere’
Similar to its larger counterpart in Las Vegas, Sphere National Harbor would include an exterior LED display called the Exosphere. The interior of the venue would feature a 16K by 16K display plane, the world’s highest-resolution LED screen.
Sphere National Harbor would additionally feature advanced technologies like immersive sound, haptic seating, and 4D environmental effects.
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