The $960 million MGM Springfield is moving aggressively to be open in less than a year.
Last week the casino opened a career center near where construction crews began accepting stacks of drywall and prefabricated windows. Much of the work is going on inside as the fall weather arrives. So far, the media hasn’t gotten a preview of what’s going on there.
The career center is adjacent to the casino. It will be open every weekday in the afternoon until the end of the year, and then be open fulltime and on weekends after that. Several months ago, MGM assured that Massachusetts Gaming Commission that it was more than meeting its goals of diversity hiring and contracting.
For example, the casino had hired 24.07 percent minorities back in March, compared to the goal of 15.3 percent. Goals for hiring women and veterans were also exceeded.
Near the casino work crews are restoring the old Springfield Armory, which was damaged in the 2011 tornado that was in many ways the catalyst for locating the casino in the city’s South End. What the building will eventually become is not yet congealed, although city officials are contemplating a concert venue or a wedding venue.
Another building MGM retrieved from demolition is the historic old First Spiritualist Church, which will be reborn as a candle factory that will be incorporated into the 14.5-acre footprint of the casino project. The old church was relocated 200 yards to accomplish this objective.
