After Maryland voters approved slot machine gambling in Maryland in 2008, The Cordish Company planned a slots parlor next to the mall. The proposal for slots at Arundel Mills was on the ballot as a referendum in the November 2010 elections; the referendum passed, and construction began on the casino shortly afterward, with the grand opening of its first phase held on June 6, 2012. Since full completion in September 2012, Live! Casino & Hotel has about 380,000 sq. ft. of floor space and 4,750 gaming slots. Live! Casino & Hotel is a free-standing facility, separated from Arundel Mills by the inner mall ring road. Although not directly connected to the mall, the casino is within walking distance of the food court entrance. Live! Casino & Hotel includes a 5,000-space parking structure at Arundel Mills with a "smart park" green-and-red-light space availability feature, such as the system used at nearby BWI Airport. Parking is available free of charge during all mall hours for Arundel Mills shoppers.