MGM Resorts International broke ground on its $800m west Massachusetts casino project this week.
The Springfield site is being hailed by city leaders as an economic boost for an ailing former industrial city. It’s expected to create 3,000 permanent jobs once completed and 2,000 temporary construction jobs. MGM will pay $17.6m annually to its host city.
Meanwhile competitor Mohegan Sun has attempted to drive traffic away from the new site by proposing to build its own casino on the Connecticut border.
In response to this proposal Jim Murren, CEO of MGM, told press at the site: “Connecticut has had a duopoly for decades and instead of attempting to improve the quality of entertainment on the existing resorts, there seems to be a desire to sprinkle slots around the state.
“That’s not entertainment, I can tell you that. It might raise some revenue, but it doesn’t create many jobs.
“I think the people of Massachusetts, at least, would vastly prefer to go to a brand new, luxury resort than a box of slots on the Connecticut border.”
