SPRINGFIELD- With just 100 days until MGM Resorts International opens the doors to its $960 million casino in downtown Springfield, construction on the site is ongoing, with new details of the massive structure being revealed daily.
Historic facades from the site's previous structures have been recreated or retained, to give the 14.5 acre site abutted by the South End and downtown areas a touch of flare reminiscent of days gone by, within the state-of-the-art entertainment and gambling complex. Inside the casino, aspects of the region's history and culture, ranging from Dr. Seuss and Emily Dickinson to Indian Motocycle and Kringle Candle, are present and welcoming guests to learn more about the ground upon which they stand.
"We're committed to helping write the next chapter for Springfield; design and construction seamlessly weaves MGM Springfield into the fabric of downtown Springfield, a community we are proud to join," said Saverio Mancini, MGM Springfield's director of communications. "We're creating a destination for the region with great dining (casual and fine), lounges, entertainment, spa/salon, attractions like TopGolf and Kringle Candle and Indian Motorcycle, a luxury cinema, bowling lanes, a plaza where we will host a myriad of activities - yoga, movies, beer festivals, farmers markets, sports viewing parties and much more."
Mass hiring exercises to fill around 3,000 jobs accentuate the pending August 24 grand opening, and Tuesday's revelation that Stevie Wonder will provide opening weekend entertainment is helping to build the buzz locally and beyond.
A hotel sign complete with the MGM lion logo at the bottom is now hanging on Main Street, as a rounded MGM Springfield sign now sits on the rotunda of the hotel at the corner of Main and Howard Streets.
The Aug. 24 grand opening will coincide with a national insurance convention in Springfield. Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America Inc. is visiting Springfield for its 2018 Fall Leadership Conference Aug. 22-26 at the Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place and MassMutual Center.
The event is expected to bring more than 600 insurance professionals to the city from around the country and should generate about $1 million in local economic activity.
And a week later, fans at the MGM-managed MassMutual Center will rock out to the sounds of Stevie Wonder, who has racked up more than 30 Top 10 hits, received 25 Grammy Awards, and sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
The MGM Springfield casino will feature around 2,500 slot machines, 94 table games, 23 poker tables, a hotel, spa, three restaurants, an 8-screen movie theatre, a 10-lane bowling alley, 44,000 square feet of meeting space and an outdoor rooftop garden. There will also be a variety of retail offerings, many of which are yet to be revealed.
"MGM Springfield will be New England's first integrated luxury resort and entertainment destination, bringing 'The Show' to downtown Springfield in a big way with its best-in-class hotel rooms, an extensive array of restaurant and retail offerings, entertainment and a state-of-the art casino," Mancini added.
Check out photos and videos of the progress above, and stick with MassLive.com & The Republican for the latest on the first full-service casino in Massachusetts.
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