Officials for the Massachusetts City of Springfield said on Monday that MGM Springfield’s application for a revised design plan has been completed. The City Council will now have to review the proposed plan and a public hearing on it is to be held anytime soon.
Gambling operator MGM Resorts International is building a $950-million casino resort in downtown Springfield, after it was granted one of three licenses for full-scale casinos within the Massachusetts’ borders. The construction of the property was originally expected to cost $800 million, but officials for the gambling operator announced earlier this month that more would be spent on the complex.
Last month, MGM was notified by city officials that its former site plan application was to be returned as it was incomplete. With the new plan being comprehensive enough, it is now up to the City Council to schedule a public hearing on the matter within 45 days. Once the hearing is held, city councilors will be able to vote on the proposed site plan as well as related conditions and amendments.
In September, MGM announced that certain changes had been implemented on the initial plan for the construction of the hotel and casino complex. For instance, the gambling operator decided to scrap the originally planned 25-story hotel tower and replace it with a 6-story hotel on Springfield’s Main Street.
Another important change was the reduction of the project’s overall size. MGM noted in October that the 14% reduction pointed in the environmental regulatory filing to the state did not represent the actual reduction. In fact, the hotel and casino complex would be reduced by 9.71%. MGM officials said that mainly back-of-the-house operations would be reduced.
In order for its site plan application to be deemed complete, the gambling operator had to answer all questions posed by city officials and consultants and to provide all the necessary information.
Representatives for MGM presented the city with the major changes it is planning to implement at a special meeting held last Wednesday. Any such changes need to be approved by the City Council, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
MGM officials will present the state gambling regulator with details on the proposed changes at a December 3 meeting.
