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National Harbor aims to be ‘fun’ alternative to DC

By WTOP Staff

BRETT ZONGKER
Associated Press

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — While visitors to the nation’s capital usually head to the monuments and museums, a new attraction uses the Potomac River to draw visitors downstream to a growing destination in Maryland.

A mini-city called National Harbor has risen over the past eight years on a long-empty site. The village of shops, hotels, restaurants and public art was built between the river and the East Coast artery of Interstate 95. Its features are inspired, in part, by those of great cities, such as Rome’s Spanish Steps and Barcelona’s pedestrian mall La Rambla.

Water taxis ferry visitors to the National Mall, historic Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington Nationals baseball games. In the evening, families can stroll by boutiques or a ride a carousel. Boaters can dock for dinner, choosing from more than 30 restaurants. Everything is neat and new, and none of it existed a decade ago.

The newest attraction is opening in time for summer: a 180-foot (54-meter) Ferris wheel built over the water, inspired by similar wheels in London and Paris. The $15 million Capital Wheel features views of Washington in the distance, as well as the river. Its 42 air-conditioned gondolas hold a total of 332 people.

Developer Milton Peterson, whose company invested $280 million to build National Harbor, said he’s working to balance seriousness with some fun in Washington’s tourism scene.

“You show a child three monuments, four statues and a garden, and they say, ‘I love Air and Space.’ But then they say ‘Dad, when are we going to have fun?'” Peterson said. “Washington is just fabulous — it’s our nation’s capital, and I call it the world’s capital. … But the great cities of the world are usually on rivers, and they use them. We don’t use the Potomac like we should.”

National Harbor began with a convention center and 2,000-room hotel that opened amid the Great Recession. Over time, it’s drawn conferences, as well as tourists and families driving from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Virginia. Officials said visitor numbers total 8 million to 10 million annually.

Five hotels now offer views of the water. The harbor has added paddle boating and waterfront activities. The National Children’s Museum moved here from Washington. New townhouses sell for more than $500,000, and businesses are leasing office spaces. In November, an outlet shopping center opened nearby, and MGM will open a casino resort in 2016.

Developer Jon Peterson called the casino, outlet shopping and the Capital Wheel a “triple crown” of attractions.

“We’re just now hitting our stride,” he said, estimating the Capital Wheel should draw a million riders its first year. “The kids are going to go crazy … We know what the Washington region is demanding — it’s entertainment.”

Developers said the harbor’s features complement Washington’s attractions. Still, there is competition for convention business as a downtown convention center works to draw bigger conferences with a new 1,200-room Marriott Marquis hotel.

Robin McClain, who heads marketing for the tourism bureau Destination D.C., said anything that attracts more people to the region is good for business. But she said Washington’s attractions are one-of-a-kind.

“People want to experience the National Mall; they want to see the White House and the U.S. Capitol; and they want to experience the dining and nightlife and the great attractions that are in the city,” she said.

For its part, National Harbor has room to grow, with enough land to triple in size.

“We’ve got a lot left to do,” Jon Peterson said. “It’s going to be exciting to see who comes to the front door and wants to be part of this.”

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Follow Brett Zongker on Twitter at https://twitter.com/DCArtBeat

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If You Go…

NATIONAL HARBOR: http://nationalharbor.com/

CAPITAL WHEEL: 165 Waterfront St. National Harbor, Maryland; http://www.thecapitalwheel.com/, Open daily 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Adults $15, seniors and military $13.50, children ages 3 to 11 $11.25, children 2 and under free.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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