MGM broke ground on an $800 million casino in downtown Springfield, Massachusetts on Tuesday.
Company officials -- including Mike Mathis, MGM Springfield president; Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno; and state Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby -- were all in attendance.
Hundreds attended the ceremony held with confetti and fanfare on a cold but sunny day. Kim Rivera, a resident in attendance, told The Associated Press, "This is going to allow our young folks to stay in Springfield. We won't lose our families, because they'll be able to find good jobs here."
Mayor Domenic Sarno's reelection kickoff, er, I mean @MGMSpringfield groundbreaking. #macasinos #spfldpoli pic.twitter.com/RhbCionQBM
— Matt Szafranski (@MSzafranski413) March 24, 2015
Gaming Commission chair Steve Crosby acknowledged groundbreaking is milestone in a long process
— Paul Tuthill (@ptuthill) March 24, 2015
The groundbreaking is largely symbolic. MGM still needs state approval to demolish a historic school building to start the first phase of the project: building a 3,600-space parking garage.
The tornado damaged Zanetti school is to be the 1st of 19 buildings torn down to make way for the casino pic.twitter.com/TiPew4oYty
— Paul Tuthill (@ptuthill) March 24, 2015
MGM Springfield provided a "fly through" video, below, to show how the casino will fit in to the rest of the city:
The event marks a significant development in New England's growing casino race. Wynn Resorts, like MGM, is aiming for 2017 to open its $1.7 billion casino in the Boston area, while a slots parlor is set to open June 24 at the Plainridge racetrack in Plainville.
Another view of @MGMSpringfield groundbreaking crowd. #spfldpoli #macasinos pic.twitter.com/SDYbA9Idma
— Matt Szafranski (@MSzafranski413) March 24, 2015
Leading Connecticut lawmakers also want to build a new, joint Foxwoods/Mohegan Sun casino to compete directly with MGM. One could be located between Hartford and Springfield.
"We're number one in Vegas, and we'll be number one in New England, regardless of what Connecticut does," said MGM's CEO Jim Murren in Springfield on Tuesday.
Of the possible competition to the south, Murren was dismissive. "That's not entertainment," he said. "It might raise some revenue, but it doesn't create many jobs. I think the people of Massachusetts, at least, will vastly prefer to go to a brand new luxury resort than a box of slots on the Connecticut border."
The Springfield casino is planned on 14.5 acres in downtown Springfield and in the South End neighborhood, an area that was devastated by a tornado in 2011.
The plan includes 3,000 slot machines, 75 gambling tables, and a 250-room hotel, as well as shops, restaurants, meeting and office space, and residential apartments. MGM is also planning to restore or reuse all or parts of historic buildings, including an old armory. Main Street's storefronts will be preserved, MGM has said, and will offer new amenities such as an ice skating rink, movie theater, and bowling alley.
MGM expects to create at least 2,000 temporary construction jobs and 3,000 permanent casino jobs with the project. It will also pay the city at least $17.6 million annually once the casino opens.
This report includes information from The Associated Press.