Hanover Casino to Open June 6

The first phase of the new Maryland Live! casino complex at Arundel Mills is set to open June 6, operators said.

The public will be invited inside at 10 p.m. that Wednesday to check out the 3,200 slot machines and electronic table games.

Other portions of the complex—including restaurants, a concert venue and 1,500 more slot machines—will be phased in through October.

The Cordish Companies, which is developing the $500 million project, said it expects Maryland Live! to employ about 1,500 workers, with people visiting the area anticipated to spend an estimated $60 million annually.

When completed, Maryland Live! will include the casino plus a Prime Rib steak restaurant, Cheesecake Factory, Bobby's Burger Place and Phillips Seafood, among other restaurants. There will also be live entertainment at the Ram's Head Center Stage.

"In the first phase alone, Maryland Live! will be more than twice as large as any existing property in Maryland and one of the largest casinos in the country," said Joe Weinberg of The Cordish Companies, in a press release. "Upon completion, the full facility will represent the third largest commercial casino in the United States."

The company also announced Thursday that it will roll out a new play-for-fun online casino website. The site, myliveonlinecasino.com, will allow users to collect virtual credits, compete in tournaments and sign up for a rewards card for the real Maryland Live! casino. It is, according to The Cordish Companies, the first virtual site branded with a brick-and-mortar casino.

Once Maryland Live! opens, it will operate Sunday through Thursday from 8 a.m to 2 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.

The casino is one of five authorized in Maryland by a 2008 vote. Two are open—one in Cecil County and another in Allegheny County, according to The Washington Post. Others, at Rocky Gap and Baltimore, are in the early phases of development.