Key points
- MGM National Harbor named Chris Gumiela president and chief operating officer on 9 November 2026.
- Gumiela succeeds Melonie Johnson, who is retiring from the role.
- He has been MGM Resorts’ senior vice president of interactive operations since 2021, working on BetMGM and LeoVegas.
- Gumiela was vice president of marketing at the Maryland resort from August 2017 to July 2020.
MGM National Harbor has appointed Chris Gumiela as president and chief operating officer, the Maryland resort announced on 9 November 2026, according to CDC Gaming’s report on the appointment. He succeeds Melonie Johnson, who is retiring. The resort did not give a start date.
Gumiela’s new brief
As president, Gumiela will run day-to-day operations at the Prince George’s County property and set its strategic direction. The resort said he will put new emphasis on employee engagement and community relations.
In his statement, Gumiela said he was “thrilled to be back in the DMV”, the shorthand for the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia area. He added that he would “look forward to expanding the ways MGM National Harbor serves as an entertainment capital for our region”.
Gumiela’s MGM Resorts career
Gumiela has spent more than 20 years at MGM Resorts. Since 2021 he has been senior vice president of interactive operations, coordinating the online business of BetMGM, which reported record FY2025 revenue, with MGM’s land-based resorts. He also sat on the five-member steering committee for LeoVegas, the Swedish online operator MGM Resorts owns, and joined the MGM Resorts Capital Committee in 2026.
The move is a return to the Maryland property. Gumiela joined its leadership team shortly after the resort opened in 2016 and was vice president of marketing from August 2017 to July 2020. He later held the role of vice president of marketing and advertising for MGM’s Regional Portfolio, covering MGM National Harbor and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City.
He started at MGM Resorts in 2006 through its Management Associate Program at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. His later posts included casino marketing manager, executive director of corporate marketing operations and vice president of brand strategy for Monte Carlo Resort & Casino, now Park MGM.
Johnson’s two terms in charge
Johnson led MGM National Harbor twice. She was president and COO before moving to run Borgata in 2020, then returned to the Maryland resort in the same role in January 2022, GGB Magazine reported at the time.
Next steps around National Harbor
Gumiela takes over as National Harbor prepares for a new neighbour. On 18 January 2026, Sphere Entertainment, the State of Maryland, Prince George’s County and Peterson Companies announced plans for a 6,000-seat Sphere at National Harbor, backed by about $200m in state, local and private incentives. Construction depends on definitive agreements and approvals from the county and the state, according to the release.
More appointments across the sector are on the EpicWins people page.
