MGM Springfield

MGM Springfield
Location Springfield, Massachusetts
Address 1200 Main Street
Opening date 2018 (planned)
Number of rooms 495
Total gaming space 125,000 sq ft (11,600 m2)
Owner MGM Resorts International
Website mgmspringfield.com

MGM Springfield is a $950 million[1][2] resort casino under construction in Springfield, Massachusetts. The casino, which is scheduled to open in 2018, will be owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.[3]

History

Proposals

MGM Springfield was one of three proposals in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts for the Western Massachusetts casino license. Casinos were also proposed for Holyoke, Palmer, and West Springfield. On December 2, 2012, MGM Springfield and Penn National's Springfield proposal became the remaining two proposals for Springfield when Ameristar withdrew its Springfield proposal for the former Westinghouse site.[4]

On April 30, 2013, Mayor Dominic Sarno selected MGM Springfield as the winning proposal for the City of Springfield, defeating the Penn National proposal for the north end of the city, and on July 16 Springfield voters approved the casino application, making MGM Springfield the state's first proposal to win voter approval in its host community. MGM was then in a three-way race with Hard Rock's West Springfield proposal and Mohegan Sun's Palmer proposal. On September 11, 2013, West Springfield voters voted to block the Hard Rock proposal, leaving only MGM and Mohegan sun in the race for the license. MGM Springfield won the bid for the Western Massachusetts license on November 6, 2013, when Palmer voters blocked the Mohegan Sun proposal, leaving MGM Springfield as the only Western Massachusetts proposal to win voter approval. (Had either Hard Rock or Mohegan Sun won voter approval, the state's gaming commission would have had to make the final decision.)[4]

MGM officially received the license on June 13, 2014. It joined two other license winners: Penn National, which was awarded the slot parlor license, and Wynn Massachusetts, which was awarded the Eastern Massachusetts Region A casino license. As of Nov. 6th 2014, they now have their region B license[4] and is expected to open in 2018.[5]

On November 4, 2014, a referendum attempting to ban casinos in the state failed.[6] The construction of the casino will require the demolition of some buildings in downtown, including the partial demolition of one on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]

MGM design

On September 22, 2015, MGM unveiled a redesigned site plan for the project, abandoning the 25-story glass-facade hotel on State Street, in favor of a 6-story hotel, to be located on Main Street. The changes also include the reduction of the parking garage by one floor, and the market-rate apartmenots being relocated off-site.[8]

MGM has pledged to create about 3,000 permanent jobs to benefit the local community job market. The company announced that it will have various job descriptions available, including security officer, assistant executive housekeeper, food and beverage manager, host person, “21 dealer,” concierge, assistant front desk manager, front desk clerk and housekeeper, a spokeswoman said, as some examples.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Christopher Palmeri (2015-11-18). "MGM Massachusetts Casino Changes Lifts Cost to $950 Million". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  2. ↑ Garrett Quinn. "Mass. Gaming Commission signs off on MGM Springfield casino starting work". Masslive.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
  3. ↑ Robbins, Carolyn (November 5, 2014). "MGM Springfield moves to next phase, accepting license, soil testing in South End". The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
  4. 1 2 3 MGM, Springfield. "MGM Resorts International Accepts Massachusetts Casino License". MGM Springfield Official Website. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Burnett, Andrew. "A New Type of Casino". Pokertube. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  6. ↑ Williams, Michelle (June 27, 2014). "MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis reflects on SJC's decision on gaming law repeal efforts". The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
  7. ↑ Rizzuto, Robert (June 5, 2014). "Endangered properties in Springfield's South End relating to MGM's proposed $800 million casino". The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
  8. ↑ "MGM Springfield drops 25-story hotel tower from casino design plan, relocates hotel to Main Street". Retrieved 2015-09-22.
  9. ↑ Peter Goonan (2013-07-05). "MGM Resorts schedules job workshops and diversity vendor fair for Springfield casino jobs, biddable goods". Masslive.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.

Coordinates: 42°5′56.77″N 72°35′13.32″W / 42.0991028°N 72.5870333°W / 42.0991028; -72.5870333

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