Foxwoods has officially decided to give the Massachusetts casino another shot. The New Bedford-based casino operator has signed a letter of intent to partner with New York-based developer KG Urban Enterprises, according to the Standard Times of New Bedford. The plan is to build in New Bedford. Last month, KG Urban announced that it was in talks with https://uk-bingo-sites.co.uk/ as the casino operator.
Foxwoods has also had its eye on southeastern Massachusetts for some time and was previously interested in expanding into Fall River. This was born out of an even longer-term interest in the state. Foxwoods had previously obtained a Boston-area license to operate a casino in Milford, but the town's voters rejected the plan at the end of 2013. Like Mohegan Sun (which sought to build a casino in Libya), Foxwoods' flagship casino is in Connecticut. If the Massachusetts gambling industry takes off, the state's gambling revenues are expected to fall.
Foxwoods has partnered with developer Crossroads Massachusetts on the Milford effort. Crossroads is working with another organization in Somerset to bring a casino to that town. George Carney, owner of the Brockton Fairgrounds, is working with Rush Street Gaming to build a casino in Brockton. Kearney previously lost a bid to bring a slot parlor to Raynham Park, which he also owns.
The Massachusetts casino approval process is not without familiar players. But if you're looking for star power to rival Steve Wynn this time around, former NBA commissioner David Stern is representing KG Urban to make the New Bedford casino happen.
MGM opens Massachusetts casino with a flourish
Let's take a look at the numbers for the MGM casino.
The casino at MGM Grand Springfield, Massachusetts' first casino resort like casinojuggler.com.Gillian Jones / The Berkshire Eagle via AP
SPRINGFIELD, MA (AP) - Massachusetts' first resort casino with expansive gambling and entertainment options opened Friday with Las Vegas-style pomp.
Thousands of people headed to gamble at MGM Springfield, believed to be the first of its kind in the state, after the streets lined with Budweiser Clydesdale horses and other entertainment that paraded through downtown Springfield. The complex also has hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and upscale retail.
South of Boston, Plainridge Park, a more modest slot parlor, has been open since 2015, and Wynn Resorts has committed to opening a $2 billion casino development just north of Boston next year.
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The Native American tribe that operates Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun resorts in Connecticut has also proposed a casino in the Hartford area that would compete directly with MGM Springfield.
MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis described the opening as "pretty magical." The complex occupies a corner of downtown that was hit by a major tornado in 2011, and city officials hailed the project as an important step in Springfield's economic revival.
Following are some of the numbers for the game-changing MGM casino
7 years: since Massachusetts legalized casino gambling in 2011, paving the way for MGM and other casino companies to seek state gambling licenses.
3 years and 5 months: from groundbreaking on March 24, 2015, to the official opening on August 24, 2015.
960 million: total project budget. Higher than initial estimate of $850 million. 3,000: Number of people employed on the first day.
35 percent: number of Springfield residents.
25 million: the amount the City of Springfield will receive annually from MGM after the casino opens (the City also received a $15 million upfront payment from MGM).
14.5 acres: the approximate area this development will cover.
250: Number of rooms in the casino's five-story boutique hotel.
2,550 and 120: number of slot machines and table games on the 125,000-square-foot (11,612 m2) gambling floor.
Two hundred yards: the distance that the historic 130+ year old brick church was moved to make way for the casino development. It now anchors the casino's public plaza.
25,000: The price of an "Indian Sidecar" at the casino's Commonwealth Bar. The drink is made with 1901 cognac and includes an actual motorcycle from the Indian Motorcycle Co. The company was founded in Springfield in 1901.
4 a.m.: Last call for alcohol, at least for those still gambling. The casino's bars and restaurants observe the state's 2 a.m. ban.
1891: The year basketball was invented in Springfield by gym teacher James Naismith. The sport's local roots are largely associated with the casino's sports bar, the Tap.
2: Number of U.S. presidents who stayed at the historic Chandler Hotel. Those presidents were James Polk and James Buchanan, the 11th and 15th presidents, respectively.
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