The state of Massachusetts is just a few days away from celebrating the grand opening of its first commercial casino – the $960-million MGM Springfield. The property will feature a gaming floor with Las Vegas-style gambling options, including slot machines and popular table games, as well as a hotel, a parking garage, that will be free for patrons, and multiple food and beverage and entertainment options.
MGM Springfield has committed to creating more than 3,000 jobs and most of these would be occupied by residents of Springfield and the Western Massachusetts region. The casino’s management has also promised to hire diverse workforce and has recently been praised for achieving that goal.
But how long did it take for the hotel and casino resort to be built? And what challenges did it face before being materialized eventually? Here is a quick overview of how Massachusetts got its first commercial gambling property.
Casino Gambling Legalization Process
Las Vegas-style commercial casino gambling was illegal in the state of Massachusetts up until recently. Lawmakers had introduced efforts for a change in the status quo on multiple occasions over the years, but it was not until the early 2010s that one such effort finally succeeded.
In July 2010, state lawmakers passed a gambling expansion bill that authorized the construction of up to three integrated resorts and the addition of two slot parlors at Massachusetts’ existing racetracks.
Despite the overwhelming support in the Legislature, the legislative piece was criticized heavily by then Gov. Deval Patrick. It took nearly a year and a half before Massachusetts’ top official put his signature on the Expanded Gaming Act. The piece of legislation, in its final version, allowed for the construction of three casino resorts in three different regions across the state as well as for a single slots parlor.
The new gambling legislation also called for the creation of a five-member Massachusetts Gaming Commission that was tasked with overseeing the establishment of the state’s casino industry and the provision of gambling services once the casino facilities opened doors.
Las Vegas gaming and hospitality giant MGM Resorts International was the first to receive an integrated resort gaming license from the Massachusetts’ regulator, meaning that its $800-million project was given a go-ahead. The company was issued its license in the summer of 2014, or two years after it originally presented its plan.
The MGM Springfield Project
MGM released its renderings for a destination resort with a casino floor in August 2012. The company said back then that it would invest $800 million into the construction of the property. It later on increased that original investment to nearly $1 billion. MGM was actually the first company to present a detailed plan for the approved gambling expansion in the state.
After obtaining all the necessary approvals, including the gaming license, MGM broke ground on its resort in March 2015. A few months later, the operator announced a diversion from its original plan and presented a modified version of its vision for the downtown Springfield resort. The new plan reduced the size of the hotel portion of the property from a 25-story glazed tower to a six-story building.
The changes were welcomed by the Springfield City Council and the operator was able to proceed with the construction of the resort. MGM Springfield was originally planned to open doors in 2017, but construction of nearby infrastructure delayed the property’s launch by a year.
The $960-million resort is now slated to open on Friday, August 24, with a massive grand opening celebration. While the complex will be the first of its kind in Massachusetts, it is joining a plethora of casinos in the region. It is yet too early to say whether MGM Springfield will be a success, but one thing is for sure – the latest addition to MGM’s portfolio will certainly face fierce competition.
