MGM Springfield opens its doors to Massachusetts crowds

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Residents of western Massachusetts roared into MGM Springfield on Friday, embracing the new hometown casino that celebrates the city’s industrial roots.

A parade of MGM employees trailing a Springfield Police Department motorcycle escort led customers into the $960 million property: MGM’s 28th casino resort and the state’s first casino-hotel. Wynn Resorts Ltd. is scheduled to open its property on the Mystic River, known as Encore Boston Harbor, next year.

The doors opened at 10:45 a.m., and players believing that the odds are better at a newly opened casino scurried to their new favorite slot machines and table games.

Guests of an invitation-only reception Thursday night actually were the first to spin slots, play blackjack and roll the dice. Retired New England Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown and cornerback Ty Law, throwing one die each, rolled a non-hard four in the first craps roll. They crapped out in the next roll.

MGM Chairman and CEO Jim Murren, MGM Springfield President and Chief Operating Office Mike Mathis and General Manager Alex Dixon high-fived employees as they walked in the door. Dixon sought out Virginia Oquendo, Migdalia Rosado and Maria Cuevis, who arrived at 5 a.m. and were the first to stand in line.

“We definitely wanted to be the first and I’m excited to see it,” Oquendo said.

Cuevis said she has visited Las Vegas where her son “takes me to all of the casinos.”

An hour later, after thousands of people made it through the doors, the casino floor was jammed with slot players. There were few open seats at blackjack tables with $10 minimum bets, but several openings at the $25 minimum tables and the $25 baccarat tables.

Players seeking a race and sportsbook when they arrived were disappointed — Massachusetts hasn’t approved sports wagering.

But Murren said the casino would be ready if and when it’s legalized.

“There is no race or sportsbook here because that would be a little bit presumptuous, but we do believe the commonwealth is going to debate the issue of sports betting here in Massachusetts,” Murren said in an interview.

Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chairman Stephen Crosby said he expects the Massachusetts Legislature to consider sport betting at some point.

Crosby said he was pleased with the way MGM Springfield turned out, developing what he termed “an inside-out casino” that enabled patrons to access restaurants and other non-gaming amenities without having to pass through the casino floor.

“We’re the last jurisdiction in the country so far to adopt gambling, so we were able to adopt best practices in terms of responsible gaming strategies and in terms of community mitigation with local control,” Crosby said. “All the different kinds of variables that were critical in our statute we picked up from other places.”

Crosby said the commission expects MGM Springfield to generate $100 million in annual tax revenue for Massachusetts in the years ahead, part of the $250 million to $300 million anticipated from three casinos in the state.

“The evidence suggests we did nothing else in Massachusetts but bring back (money that was) being gambled in casinos outside Massachusetts by our citizens and that alone would make it a success,” Crosby said. “We would have $250 million in tax revenue just by bringing back those citizens.”

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.