Last month, gambling operator MGM Resorts presented a revised plan for its $800-million hotel and casino resort in Springfield, Massachusetts, nixing the 25-story glass hotel tower and proposing a 6-story hotel instead.
MGM officials, including MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis, met representatives for the Springfield Historical Commission to discuss and negotiate the new plan. The two parties eventually reached an agreement that the proposed changes would not harm the city’s historic buildings and other related features in any way.
Carole Brennan, a spokeswoman for MGM Springfield, told media that the latest agreement was the result from months of negotiations and that the outcome is a reflection of the commitment of everyone involved to the historic preservation of downtown Springfield. Ms. Brennan also said that the gambling operator is working on the finalization of the design and is to present it to city officials in the weeks to come.
The 25-story hotel tower was to be built on 73 State Street where a former United Electric building was to be demolished in order to open room for that of the hotel. According to the new plan, the hotel will only be six stories tall and will be located on Springfield’s Main Street.
MGM officials told the city’s Historical Commission that they would do their best to preserve the front facade of Union House, which is to be in an immediate proximity to the hotel. The rear side of the historic building would be razed and a side facade would be expanded from six to ten feet. Thus, more depth would be preserved, according to MGM officials.
They also noted that the hotel’s top part would feature a glass facade and would be slightly set back in order not to “overshadow” the historic Union House. The commission also recommended that MGM uses a combination of brick, glass, and stone in order to highlight Union House from the rest of the buildings located in near proximity.
The proposed changes were also voted unanimously in favor of by commission members. However, they also need to be approved by Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, the City Council, and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. This is expected to happen in the weeks to come.
