MGM National Harbor expands gaming areas; 'Succession' penthouse for sale

Good morning Baltimore and TGIF!

Temperatures are going to rise to the mid-80s today, if you can believe it. Tomorrow will be a little cooler and mostly rainy, while Sunday should be sunny again with temperatures in the 70s.

As noted yesterday, this is my final edition of '8 things' as I prepare to move on to a new career opportunity. Writing this column for the past five years or so has been one of my greatest professional joys. Thank you to all who took the time to read my little morning musings and local news blurbs. You helped make each morning a little bit better.

Now, for the last time, let's get to the news of the day.

How Baltimore is capitalizing on a changing venture capital industry

Baltimore's venture capital industry has been gaining steam. The number of startups here with some venture funding rose from 102 in 2013 to 350 last year. And of the top 24 investors who have made the most investments into local startups, nearly 30% weren't active in 2021. Still, the industry still has a ways to go when it comes to creating a more robust funding environment. Baltimore Business Journal reporter Matt Hooke spoke to some of the area's key founders and venture capitalists to better understand how the local market capitalize on that growth and keep startups here, instead of allowing them to chase capital across the country to bigger markets like Silicon Valley, New York and Boston.

NFL releases 2023 schedule — here are a few key Ravens games

The National Football League (NFL) unveiled its complete 2023 regular season schedule last night, although many of the matchups had already been known, Washington Post reports. The Baltimore Ravens will kick off the regular season at home on September 10 against the Houston Texans . And we'll also play on Christmas Day as part of a triple-header that includes the Las Vegas Raiders - Kansas City Chiefs , New York Football Giants - Philadelphia Eagles and ends with Ravens- San Francisco 49ers . The Ravens will also play an international game in London on Oct. 15 against the Tennessee Titans .

Major union formally rejects planned $24.6B Kroger-Albertsons merger

Members of the country's largest grocery store union have voted to oppose Kroger Co.'s planned $24.6 billion acquisition of Albertsons Companies , a deal that would create the nation's largest operator of traditional supermarkets. Representatives of the 1.3 million members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union voted unanimously to oppose the merger, adding that it poses a "threat to essential workers, their families and the communities they serve," Cincinnati Business Courier reports. The massive deal is also still seeking regulatory approval, and if approved, would likely result in the selling of some 250 stores or more, and the loss of jobs that go with them. Locally, Albertsons is the parent company of Safeway with 27 Baltimore-area locations (as well as Acme Markets ) and Kroger owns Harris Teeter , which has six stores in the area.

How tech salaries stack up across the U.S. — and in Maryland

A new report by tech trade association CompTIA found tech workers in Washington state have the highest median wage for the industry in the country at nearly $130,000. Pay in the Pacific Northwest outpaced median pay in Washington, D.C., California, New Jersey and Massachusetts, the next four highest for tech wages. The lowest-paying states are South Dakota, Mississippi, Wyoming, Louisiana and West Virginia, which all have a median tech wage less than $70,000. Where does Maryland fall? The median tech wage here is $109,357, about 123% higher than the median state wage.

One of the 'Succession' penthouses is for sale

OK so this has nothing to do with the Baltimore area, but it's my last column and this release was too cool not to include. Fans of HBO 's wildly popular drama 'Succession' might recognize the photo below as the three-level New York City penthouse belonging to the fictional character, Kendall Roy. The opulent home that spans 5,500 square feet atop the tallest tower north of 72nd Street is on the market for $29 million. It holds five bedrooms, a central spiral staircase, a private glass-walled elevator, 3,500 square feet of outdoor space and views of Central Park. The penthouse is listed by Michael Gordon at The Corcoran Group and featured by TopTenRealEstateDeals.com. Click the link for more photos.

MGM National Harbor expands gaming areas indoors and out to accommodate demand

I recently read that MGM National Harbor is the top-grossing casino outside of Vegas and was absolutely floored by the news. The Maryland casino recorded $75.5 million in April gaming revenue from 2,353 slot machines and 210 table games. But now MGM National Harbor has made room for more traffic and unveiled an expanded outdoor gaming patio and larger indoor casino floor, adding roughly 8,000 square feet total. The addition was "always an option," according to Alex Alvarado , MGM National Harbor's vice president of casino operations.

Hilton to manage first all-inclusive Curio Collection property in the Dominican Republic

Northern Virginia hotel chain 希尔顿全球酒店集团 Worldwide Holdings recently announced a management agreement for its first all-inclusive Curio Collection property in the Dominican Republic. The property is the forthcoming Zemi Miches resort, which is being built on a half-mile stretch of Esmerelda Beach about 60 miles north of Punta Cana, Washington Business Journal reports. It will hold 502 guest rooms across six four-story buildings and 18 free-standing bungalows. It will also include 123 ground-level rooms with individual "plunge pools" that connect to a larger winding pool that will allow guests to swim to other parts of the property.

Did you know: There's a company that makes UFO-style house kits

US Lighting Group (OTC:USLG) , an Ohio-based maker of travel trailers and speedboats, has sold the first of its Futuro Houses shell kits, which are designed to look like UFOs. The kits can be customized for buyers or distributors and once assembled offers 600 square feet of space, making them ideal for off-grid or conventional housing, businesses and rentals, Cleveland Business Journal reports. US Lighting Group recently shipped its first Futuro House kit to none other than Roswell, New Mexico, near the Area 51 U.S. military base that has long been associated with sightings of unidentified flying objects.

That's all folks! I can't believe I'm never going to write "Good morning Baltimore" ever again.

PS — I definitely still hear the "Hairspray" tune in my head each morning when I write my introduction to '8 things.'

This newsletter was written by Carley Milligan, Digital Editor at the Baltimore Business Journal. I can be reached at [email protected].?