Photo by Dan Dan the Binary Man

>> If Marylanders vote to approve an expansion of gambling in the site, a new casino will come to the National Harbor only miles away from D.C. But what will it look like? The Post reports that MGM officials have started pitching their luxury casino project, saying that it will cater to a high-end crowd with an iconic design, luxury stores, a relaxing spa and world-class restaurants. It won’t be too over-the-top, though—this isn’t Las Vegas, after all. Should Question 7 pass—and $72 million has been poured into making sure it does or does not—the casino could well reshape where area tourist dollars flow.

>> Five men have now been arrested in connection with a brutal beating and robbery in Eastern Market, and D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier told WTOP yesterday that the group may be linked to at least nine other robberies. Thomas Maslin was attacked while walking home from a bar in August; he has since undergone three brain surgeries. In September three men were arrested and charged with the attack, but two more have since been detained.

>> The D.C. Council spent a good part of yesterday’s legislative session fighting over requests from Mayor Vince Gray on how to spend $23 million left over from the fiscal year that just ended, writes the Examiner. While councilmembers agreed to let Gray spend the money on schools, a payment to Metro and a few other projects, they expressed frustration that they were given only a day’s notice that the money existed and had to spent lest it go back into the city’s general fund. Councilmember David Catania (I-At Large) voted against all the requests, saying that the money should go to pay down the city’s debt.

Briefly Noted: Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is corrupt, say feds … Fairfax Democrats sue over new polling place restrictions … Clergy opposed to same-sex marriage in Maryland to urge voters to reject marriage equality at press conference today … MoCo putting up new signs to remind drivers of cyclists’ rights … Constitution Party presidential candidate could spoil Mitt Romney’s chances in Virginia … Because of Hurricane Sandy, D.C. Board of Elections sending some absentee ballots via FedEx, hand-delivering others.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2011, Brittany Norwood was convicted of first-degree murder and the remnants of the ESPN Zone were put up for auction. In 2010, we learned that democracy is hard.