MGM Resorts last week announced that it would break ground on its 0 million casino in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 24. MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis says that site preparation will begin soon after.
“This is where people really get to realize what we’re going to do,” he said. “This is where we go from promises made to promises kept.”
Mathis said the plan is to complete and open the project by late 2017.
And Wynn Resorts Ltd. recently concluded the purchase of more land for its massive $1.6 billion casino resort in Everett. Last week it announced a deal to purchase 1.75 acres from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for $6 million.
The land is next to the 32-acre casino site, which is adjacent to the Mystic River where former Monsanto Chemical plant once operated. According to Robert DeSalvio, president of Wynn Everett, “The process of building Wynn Everett is moving forward exactly as planned.”
According to the company pre-construction soil boring has been going on for several months.
Wells Fargo Securities recently projected that the Wynn resort casino will actually end up costing $1.75 billion. Preparation of the site and mitigation (i.e. removal) of the hazardous wastes at the site should begin this summer.
DeSalvio added, “Right now, there are teams of people in Massachusetts and Las Vegas working around the clock to make sure that permitting, design and planning continue to progress smoothly and building can start as soon as possible.”
Also, the city of Springfield has adopted some of the most stringent rules in the nation to discourage corruption between city officials and the casino.
The ethics rules adopted unanimously last week by the city council are designed to keep elected officials and high ranking city officials from benefitting from the casino for three years after leaving office.
Mayor Dominic Sarno signed the ordinance last week. It specifies that officials, including department heads and their top aides, cannot have a direct or indirect interest in the Springfield casino during that time.
Southeastern Casino
KG Urban Enterprises, the New York City based developer that has long sought a license to build a casino resort in the historic whaling town of New Bedford, has announced a partnership with Foxwoods Resort Casino to operate the casino.
KG is one of three commercial competitors for the license. Its managing director, Adam Stern, said Foxwoods was his company’s first choice as an operator. Its possible involvement was revealed last month to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
Foxwoods was a bidder for the Boston Metro license, but was unable to win support of the voters of the town of Milford in 2013.
KG and its new partner are under the gun to submit a full application to the commission by the March 16 deadline. So are its rivals for the license, Somerset on the Move and Crossroads LLC.
