Wynn Resorts announced plans to expand its Encore Boston Harbor casino to include an entertainment complex, in addition to a poker room and sportsbook. The casino operator, however, needs the approval of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) for the gaming component to be included.
The company owns 13 acres of parking lots across the street from the resort and wants to build there. The initial proposal only called for the sportsbook, poker room and nightclub.
Now the plans have been altered to include two hotels, several restaurants, 200-seat comedy club, day club and a 980-seat theater. The total space is 1.8 million square feet.
In addition to needing the MGC’s approval, they also needed to get approval from the Everett City Council and Planning Board, which happened earlier in the month.
The first phase of the project would entail a parking garage that would accommodate 2,100 vehicles, a sports bar, poker room, comedy club, theater and day club.
Since the project is across the street from the casino, a foot bridge will connect the two entities.
The second phase of construction would involve erecting the two hotels, one with nearly 500 rooms and the other with more than 300. Each will offer ballrooms and restaurants, as well as 900 parking spaces in an adjoining structure. The final step is constructing a two-story building with restaurants and shops.
City officials are excited about the new development from a revenue standpoint. Matt Lattanzi, Everett’s planning director, estimated the first phase would generate $3.6 million a year in new property taxes and the second phase would generate $10.8 million a year. That doesn’t count the approximately $3 million in lodging taxes.
Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria told the Boston Globe that the development should be boon to the community.
“We always knew they were going to increase their footprint there,” DeMaria said of Wynn. “I’m pretty certain that the 86 percent of the residents who voted for the referendum and all those who didn’t vote would love to see them expand and hire more people and pay more taxes and create more aesthetically pleasing parcels. We all need to remember what that area looked like before they came and what they’ve done.”
