EPG is an integrated campaign of digital, social and signage complimenting our traditional regional and national marketing efforts.  EPG's ads and sponsored posts can be seen during select scheduled flights across a variety of platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Waze, Pandora, and Google. 

During the holidays, EPG covered the  SOUTHWEST Airlines jetbridges at BWI with colorful signage. Select areas at Reagan National also displayed the EPG message. In addition, EPG could be seen on eight digital kiosk displays at National Harbor. There's also billboards around the region at select interstate points (leading toward Prince George's). 

 

To capture the daily transit crowd and DMV tourists, there were 14 animated digital (pictured above, click here to see rotation) across 14 METRO stations and 30 rail posters across 20 METRO stations thru December. EPG signage at METRO will begin appearing again in the spring. 

CATCH THE VIBE: See the "Experience Prince George's" campaign video>> 

EDUCATIONAL AID: Approximately $150 million to the Maryland Education Trust Fund, m aking MGM National Harbor the largest contributor in the state to the education fund. 

PHILANTHROPIC MILL: Over $1 million in contributions to the following institutions:  Prince George's Community College, Bowie State University, the University of Maryland College Park, and the Community Foundation of Prince George's County.

SPREADING THE WEALTH: Just Under $400 million to minority owned businesses: Both during the construction phase and ongoing operations, with a commitment of engaging with local minority owned businesses, partnering with over 100 Prince George's County businesses.

EMPLOYING OUR OWN: Hiring directly from the area community, with  almost half of MGM employees being residents of Prince George's County. 

COMMUNITY GIFT: Improving the county's once-vacant, former Thomas Addison Elementary School in Oxon Hill, which served as the initial MGM training and recruitment facility.  Over $6 million in improvements were made to Addison, which will be awarded back, made available for Oxon Hill community use beginning this year. 

Well done MUFASA!!!!

A very special Civil War-era exhibit is now on display at Laurel's Montpelier Mansion -  Civil War Soldiers: Discovering the Men of the 25th United States Colored Troops.

This unique exhibit was created by artist and genealogist  Shayne Davidson. It consists of 17 life-sized colored pencil portraits based on rare, identified photos of a group of African-American men who served together for the Union in the 25th United States Colored Troops, Company G. 

Each man is depicted as an individual. His pose, expression, uniform and record are unique to him, yet seen together the portraits also create a group portrait of African-American men who participated together in a pivotal event in United States history. 

The portraits are based on tiny photos from a long-forgotten album, now almost 150 years old, owned by the company captain, William A. Prickett. The text on the portraits was transferred from actual military records. A brief biography, based on Davidson's research into the lives of the men, is included with each portrait.

The exhibit runs thru March 11 and is sponsored in part by Tiger Presentations. Historic Montpelier Mansion is located at 9650 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, 20708.

LEARN MORE>>

Parkmobile's slogan is "Parking Made Simple" and we can vouch for that. We use Parkmobile extensively when selecting a spot along the mean streets of the DMV (and across the Mid Atlantic). So, on the tourism tip, its wonderful news that Parkmobile and Prince George's County have partnered to make the service avail at 800 metered spaces across PGC. 

County Executive Rushern L. Baker, III said it best... "Prince George's County has quickly become a 'place to be' for visitors, shoppers, and sightseers from throughout the region, state, and from around the nation. With new restaurants, stores, and attractions, means more of a need for effective and efficient parking systems. I am proud that the Prince George's County's Revenue Authority has partnered with industry-leader Parkmobile to provide ease to our residents and visitors to pay for parking through the Parkmobile App. Parkmobile has a well known reputation throughout the National Capital Region and we welcome their app service to Prince George's County."

GET PARKMOBILE>>

Cheers are in order for Terp Town. Last month, the University of  Maryland received two illustrious UVees. For the 2017 Unique Venues "Best of Awards", UMD College Park was named "Best Venue for Unique or Locally Sourced Catering" and "Best Venue for Youth/Sports Groups". It's the second year in a row that UMD has won two awards.  In the last three years, UMD has been awarded a total of five UVees.

The UVee "Best of Awards" are voted on by a readership of 55,000+ planners across 19 categories. The awards  recognizes the standout  campuses, conference and business centers, sports arenas, historical and cultural  venues, camps and retreat centers, and other special event venues that wowed

guests in 2017. 

There's more to the UMD campus then you thought. For info regarding UMD spaces and places, contact the office of  UMD Conferences & Visitor Services . 

I'll have what they're having, please! Diners have spoken, amplifying the fact that the PGC dine scene is making positive noise in the DMV. A number of PGC spots made OpenTable's year-end "Best Restaurants" list for the Maryland burbs and Washington, DC DMV. 

The "Best Restaurants" list is generated solely from diner reviews collected between November 1, 2016 , and October 31, 2017 . All restaurants with a minimum "overall" score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then sorted according to a score calculated from each restaurant's average rating in the "overall" category. Here are the county dines among the best in the area:

DINERS CHOICE - BEST OF THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA

Brunch: 

Pienza/Gaylord National Harbor

Kid Friendly: 

Pienza/Gaylord National Harbor

Late Night Find: 

SoBe Restaurant & Lounge/Lanham

Outdoor Dining: 

McLoone's Pier House/National Harbor

Scenic View: 

Sauciety/Westin National Harbor

Most Booked 1k-Point Tables: 

McCormick & Schmick's National Harbor

Asian: 

Grace's Mandarin/National Harbor; Ginger/MGM National Harbor

Greek: 

Kapnos Taverna/College Park

Southern: 

Succotash/National Harbor

DINERS CHOICE - BEST OF MARYLAND DC-SUBURBAN

Italian: 

Bond 45/National Harbor

Good For Groups: 

Pienza/Gaylord National Harbor

Great For Brunch: 

Pienza/Gaylord National Harbor

Healthy: 

Old Maryland Grill (OMG)/College Park

Hot Spots: 

SoBe Restaurant & Lounge/Lanham

Kid Friendly: 

Pienza/Gaylord National Harbor; Fiorella Italian Kitchen/National Harbor 

Most Notable Wine List: 

Old Maryland Grill (OMG)/College Park

Outdoor Dining: 

McLoone's Pier House/National Harbor; Redstone American Grill/National Harbor

Romantic: 

SoBe Restaurant & Lounge/Lanham; Old Hickory Steakhouse/Gaylord National Harbor

Scenic View: 

Sauciety/Westin National Harbor; McLoone's Pier House/National Harbor; McCormick & Schmick's/National Harbor; Redstone American Grill/National Harbor; Bond 45/National Harbor; Rosa Mexicano/National Harbor; Grace's Mandarin/National Harbor

Most Vibrant Bar Scene: 

SoBe Restaurant & Lounge/Lanham; Granite City Food & Brewery/National Harbor

Much appreciation to OpenTable and the many diners who use it as their go-to dine source in Prince George's. OpenTable  is the world's leading provider of online restaurant reservations.

We didn't have room for this in our previous issue, but felt it too important to let slide. 

Two meeting venues in Prince George's County were recognized with a Smart Meetings 2017 Platinum Choice Award. Making the illustrious list were the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center and MGM National Harbor. 

Smart Meetings magazine's  highly coveted award salutes excellence in service and amenities among  meeting hotels and resorts  in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. Also recognized is exceptional service by  destination marketing companies and CVBs  from across North America.

Smart Meetings reviews thousands of qualified props and associations to select the top tier winners.  Recipients of the award have demonstrated exemplary standards of excellence ranging from ambiance, amenities, breadth of resources, facility quality, guest services, meeting space and packages, recreational activities, restaurant and dining options, and technical support. Votes are cast by industry professionals, the Smart Meetings editorial team and Smart Meetings readers.

Round of applause to GNat, MGM, and the wonderful staff at both venues for achieving Platinum status!