Recent research released shows that the gaming industry supports 350,000 small business jobs and is responsible for $52 billion in small business revenues. The report, The Gaming Industry’s Impact on Small Business Development in the United States, was completed by Spectrum Gaming Group and commissioned by AGA.
To highlight the report’s findings, AGA launched its nationwide American Gaming Small Business Jobs Tour. The tour will scan the country to showcase gaming’s strong, positive impacts on local, small businesses that are driving Main Street’s success and American employment. AGA plans to work with a wide range of member companies to showcase their strong partnership with small businesses all around the country.
Eastern Food Services, Inc. in Laurel, MD was the first stop on AGA’s tour. Eastern Food Services is a Maryland-based food distributor that works directly with MGM National Harbor to provide M life water bottles and various other foods. They are a Korean-American-owned small business that specializes in providing several Asian dishes to MGM.
The event consisted of a tour of the 80,000 sq. ft. warehouse – 30,000 sq. ft. of which is now dedicated solely to servicing MGM – and remarks from:
- Eastern Food Services, Inc. General Manager Chris Umstot;
- Congressman Anthony Brown (MD-4);
- MGM National Harbor Director of Communications Malik Husser; and
- Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce President David Harrington.
Chris Umstot, Eastern Food’s general manager, said that “we set out and invested in this facility knowing that [MGM National Harbor] was coming here…to support our existing business within the county and the people that work here.”
Congressman Anthony Brown (MD-4) talked about the opportunity that Eastern Food Services provides, and highlighted the “hundreds of small businesses in the [MD] fourth congressional district that participate in the activities and the prosperity associated with gaming.”
MGM National Harbor Communications Director Malik Husser highlighted the “winners in the community” because of MGM National Harbor’s partnership with small businesses like Eastern Food Services. Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce President David Harrington highlighted that “people in Prince George’s County are benefiting” from MGM National Harbor, and that “over 50 percent of the employees at MGM [National Harbor] are from Prince George’s County.”
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the event took place to “raise awareness of the casino industry’s influence on small business and the economy.” CDC Gaming noted that the tour will be a “national effort to highlight the gaming industry’s impacts on small business partners.”
Following AGA’s Gaming Votes and Get to Know Gaming events over the past two years, the American Gaming Small Business Jobs Tour will go directly to small businesses all around the country to highlight gaming’s strong impact. We look forward to showcasing these businesses in the months to come.
