Mgm Casino In Springfield Mass
Springfield, MGM continue talks on $2.3 million underpayment from casino during coronavirus Posted Oct 15, 2020 MGM Springfield and city officials remain in talks over an underpayment of $2.3. MGM Springfield opened in August of 2018 and in just two years, the casino has become a key part of the local economy. It employs about 2,500 workers, and makes up 3.8% of the city’s $730 million.
SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Gaming Commission revealed Thursday that state-licensed casinos have reported cases of employees infected with coronavirus, and described the total only as being in the “single digits.”
“We have been notified of a small number of cases numbering in the single digits,” said Loretta Lillios, chief enforcement counsel and deputy director for the commission. “The local boards of health have been notified as well.”
Springfield Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen R. Caulton-Harris referred to questions on specifics to MGM Springfield.
MGM Springfield declined to identify the total number of cases or the positions involved.
“We have detailed incident response protocols based on CDC guidelines. If an employee tests positive, we work to identify those who had close contact with the individual and ensure they are notified and require them to be tested. All positive cases are reported to public health officials and we assist with their contact tracing efforts as well,” said a MGM Resorts spokesperson in a statement. “MGM employees are tested at no cost to them and are provided two weeks of paid time off if they are found to be positive. Out of respect for the privacy of individual employees, we will confirm a case only when there is an impact on our operations or the public health.”
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission oversees three casinos in Massachusetts: MGM Springfield; Encore Boston Harbor and Plainridge Park. It was notified of the virus cases at its regular meeting, which is conducted remotely due to COVID-19.
Lillios did not specify how many cases were at which casinos, but said that none of the personnel who tested positive for COVID-19 involved “front or guest-facing positions,” nor did they have direct contact with commission staff.
Infections were “determined to have been contracted off-property by a source other than the casino,” such as a family member or other source, she said.
“Other casino employees that had direct contact with positive cases have been notified and were asked to quarantine and be tested,' Lillios said.
She said the information of the infections was promptly shared with the commission staff by the casinos, as is required by the commission.
Commission staff including Executive Director Karen Wells said the casinos continue to comply with COVID-19 regulations and guidelines.
The casinos were shuttered in March because of the pandemic and allowed to reopen under certain restrictions in July.
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| MGM Springfield | |
|---|---|
| Location | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Address | One MGM Way, Springfield, MA 01103 |
| Opening date | August 24, 2018[1] |
| Theme | History of Springfield |
| No. of rooms | 250[2] |
| Total gaming space | 125,000 sq ft (11,600 m2) |
| Signature attractions | Massmutual Center (currently operated by MGM)Outdoor Concert Area |
| Notable restaurants | WahlBurgers Costa Chandler Steakhouse Taps Sportsbar |
| Owner | MGM Resorts International |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: 42°5′56.77″N72°35′13.32″W / 42.0991028°N 72.5870333°W |
| Website | mgmspringfield.com |
MGM Springfield is a hotel and casino complex situated in the heart of Metro Center, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. Opening on August 24, 2018 in a block of buildings that are historically or culturally influential to Springfield, it became the first resort casino in the Commonwealth.[1] It is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.[3] MGM Springfield opened its doors to the public on August 24, 2018. It was then temporarily closed on March 14, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It reopened to the public on July 13, 2020, after nearly 4 months of being closed, with safety precautions and reduced capacity in place. Chris Kelly is the current President and COO of the MGM Springfield.
History[edit]
Proposals[edit]
MGM Springfield was one of three proposals in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts for the Western Massachusetts casino license. Casinos were also proposed for Holyoke, Palmer, and West Springfield. On December 2, 2012, MGM Springfield and Penn National's Springfield proposal became the remaining two proposals for Springfield when Ameristar withdrew its Springfield proposal for the former Westinghouse site.[4]
On April 30, 2013, Mayor Dominic Sarno selected MGM Springfield as the winning proposal for the City of Springfield, defeating the Penn National proposal for the north end of the city, and on July 16 Springfield voters approved the casino application, making MGM Springfield the state's first proposal to win voter approval in its host community. MGM was then in a three-way race with Hard Rock's West Springfield proposal and Mohegan Sun's Palmer proposal. On September 11, 2013, West Springfield voters voted to block the Hard Rock proposal, leaving only MGM and Mohegan Sun in the race for the license. MGM Springfield won the bid for the Western Massachusetts license on November 6, 2013, when Palmer voters blocked the Mohegan Sun proposal, leaving MGM Springfield as the only Western Massachusetts proposal to win voter approval. (Had either Hard Rock or Mohegan Sun won voter approval, the state's gaming commission would have had to make the final decision.)[4]
MGM officially received the license on June 13, 2014. It joined two other license winners: Penn National, which was awarded the slot parlor license, and Wynn Massachusetts, which was awarded the Eastern Massachusetts Region A casino license. As of November 6, 2014, it received its Region B license[4] and is expected to open in 2018.[5]
On November 4, 2014, a referendum attempting to ban casinos in the state failed.[6] The plan for the construction of the casino at the time would have required the demolition of some buildings in downtown, including the partial demolition of one on the National Register of Historic Places.[7]
MGM design[edit]
On September 22, 2015, MGM unveiled a redesigned site plan for the project, abandoning the 25-story glass-facade hotel on State Street in favor of a 6-story hotel on Main Street. The changes also included the reduction of the parking garage by one floor and the market-rate apartments being moved off-site.[8]
MGM has pledged to create about 3,000 permanent jobs to benefit the local community. The company announced that it would have various job descriptions available, including security officer, assistant executive housekeeper, food and beverage manager, host person, 21 dealer, concierge, assistant front desk manager, front desk clerk, and housekeeper, a spokeswoman gave as some examples.[9]
MGM Springfield opened to the public on August 24, 2018. The $960,000,000 project is built in an area that sustained significant damage by a tornado that struck Springfield on June 1, 2011.[10] The 2-million-square-foot (190,000 m2) complex contains a gaming area surrounded by a parking garage, hotel, spa, movie theater, restaurants, and shops. The 125,000-square-foot (11,600 m2) casino features 2,550 slots, 120 table games, a high-limit room, and a poker room with 23 tables.[11]
Shops[edit]
First Spiritualist Church[edit]
The relocated 129-year-old First Spiritualist Church from Bliss Street now sits past the former South End Community Center, through the MGM Springfield construction site to a pad where it now sits on Union Street.[citation needed]
Notable tenants[edit]
- Regal Cinemas - located adjacent to the casino hotel[citation needed]
- Wahlburgers - will be opening on the corner of Main and Union St. next to the plaza[citation needed]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ ab'MGM Springfield reveals $960 million resort casino to open earlier than expected (photos, video)'.
- ^'MGM Springfield'. www.mgmspringfield.com.
- ^Robbins, Carolyn (November 5, 2014). 'MGM Springfield moves to next phase, accepting license, soil testing in South End'. The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
- ^ abcMGM, Springfield. 'MGM Resorts International Accepts Massachusetts Casino License'. MGM Springfield Official Website. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
- ^Burnett, Andrew. 'A New Type of Casino'. Pokertube. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
- ^Williams, Michelle (June 27, 2014). 'MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis reflects on SJC's decision on gaming law repeal efforts'. The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
- ^Rizzuto, Robert (June 5, 2014). 'Endangered properties in Springfield's South End relating to MGM's proposed $800 million casino'. The Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2014-10-23.
- ^'MGM Springfield drops 25-story hotel tower from casino design plan, relocates hotel to Main Street'. Masslive.com. Retrieved 2015-09-22.
- ^Goonan Peter (July 5, 2013). 'MGM Resorts schedules job workshops and diversity vendor fair for Springfield casino jobs, biddable goods'. Masslive.com. Retrieved 2016-05-25.
- ^Amarante, Joe (September 6, 2018). 'Modestly sized MGM Springfield rises from ruins of 2011 tornado'. nhregister.com. New Haven Register. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- ^'MGM Springfield: Description from the Licensee'. massgaming.com. Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
External links[edit]
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to MGM Springfield. |