Live! Casino Maryland Gives Workers Costco Superstore Sweep to Celebrate Anniversary

Posted on: July 2, 2022, 12:23h. 

Last updated on: July 1, 2022, 04:15h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Live! Casino Maryland celebrated its 10-year anniversary this week by gifting 100 of its Anne Arundel County workers a 15-minute shopping spree at Costco.

Live! Casino Maryland gaming Cordish Companies
Live! Casino Maryland employees stuff their carts at Costco on their employer’s tab. The casino offered 100 employees a 15-minute sweep of the shopping warehouse to celebrate the resort’s 10-year anniversary. (Image: Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland)

The Cordish Companies, a Baltimore-based casino and hospitality firm, calls Live! Maryland Casino its flagship property. Cordish developed and opened the Hanover casino near BWI Airport a decade ago. The casino opened on June 6, 2012. Its hotel was added years later.

Cordish agreed to sell the resort to Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc., the real estate investment trust controlled by Penn National Gaming, in December 2021. But Cordish continues to operate the property through a leaseback agreement that is to run through at least 2062.

Cordish executives are well-known for giving back to the communities in which it operates. They also have a fun side, with Chairman David Cordish frequenting the Live! Maryland casino floor handing out $100 bills to guests.

In keeping with that, Cordish took time this week to celebrate its workers. The casino drew names of 100 lucky employees who were given the opportunity to run rampant through a Costco warehouse store, grabbing nearly anything they wished on the company’s tab.

Supermarket Sweep

Cordish employs around 1,900 people at Live! Casino Maryland. Earlier this month, the firm drew 100 lucky names through a lottery to determine who would run through the local Costco in Hanover.

Cordish says the 100 big-box sweepers ran up a more than $336,000 tab during the 15-minute rush — or an average of nearly $3,400 per “shopper.” The casino paid for all 100 shopping carts, which complies with Costco’s membership rules.

From robot vacuums and cookware to fireworks and the finest cuts of steak, the Live! Casino employees loaded the costliest items into their oversized shopping carts.

Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland represents the best of our Live! brand and is truly a labor of love for me and my family,” said David Cordish in a news release. “To build such a successful property and create lasting relationships with our community is incredibly gratifying and we are excited to celebrate this milestone with those who have contributed the most – our Team Members and our loyal guests.”

Live! in 2021 was, for a fifth consecutive year, the second-highest grossing casino of Maryland’s six commercial gaming properties. The Anne Arundel casino won almost $487 million from gamblers through its slot machines, and another $205.3 million on its table games.

Last year was a banner year for Live!, as its approximately $692 million in gross gaming revenue bettered the $422.5 million slot win and $178.3 million table hold the casino won in pre-pandemic 2019.

Maryland’s casinos are eagerly awaiting the state’s go-ahead to commence sports betting operations. Live! has already been deemed an approved sportsbook operator, but must wait for the Maryland Sports Wagering Application Review Commission to give it the greenlight to accept its first wagers.

Anniversary Wraps Up

Live! Maryland Casino Hotel celebrated its 10th anniversary all month long through its promotion, “A Decade of Wins.” Each day, gamblers present on the casino floor participating in the casino’s My Live! Rewards program were entered for a chance to win $10,000 cash.

The casino held various surprise giveaways throughout the month, too. Last week, the casino spontaneously decided to reward 10 Live! Rewards participants who have been members since 2012 with $1,000 cash each.

Cordish also gave back to the community, as its workers on June 17 volunteered their time with the United Way of Central Maryland. The volunteers participated in a beautification of a public park. Live! also made a $1 million scholarship grant to Anne Arundel Community College’s Hospitality Scholarship Program. Cordish will make a $100,000 annual donation over the next 10 years to the local college.