Massachusetts three casinos are not operating at their capacity limits. Encore Boston Harbor, MGM Springfield and Plainridge Park slots parlor have been released from Governor Charlie Baker’s mandate that they operate at 25 percent capacity. But so far they haven’t reached even that level.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission heard this report February 11. Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) Director Loretta Lillios told the panel the casinos are now operating under a different formula for determining maximum capacity.
That formula considers how many active gaming positions there are, the capacity of non-gaming parts of the casino and the number of employees. This would allow one of the casinos to operate at 40 percent capacity. That maximum is now going to be required for all three facilities.
But so far none have gone over the 25 percent threshold, according to IEB Assistant Director Bruce Band. The only change that will be wrought by increasing capacity is that some casinos will be able to bring back some furloughed employees.
Meanwhile, the Wynn Resorts’ Encore property has reopened its hotel. And MGM will begin operating its hotel on a limited basis on March 5 after a nearly year-long hiatus, but large events will still be banned at the 34,000-square-foot event space.
