MGM Reveals New Details About Forthcoming Springfield Casino

During the City Council meeting on April 24, executives from the upcoming MGM Springfield Casino shared detailed information about the nearly billion-dollar property.

The casino company revealed details about the property in response to a series of questions from local lawmakers. The topics covered during the discussion included restaurant options, parking facilities, and the future of the 54 planned apartments within the project.

MGM Springfield to feature two sit-down restaurants

The recent revelations were reported by The Reminder, a local newspaper that attended the City Council meeting.

Local businesses were worried about the type of restaurant competition that would be brought to town by MGM. Known for its high-quality dining experiences and collaborations with celebrity chefs, MGM’s potential introduction of top-tier restaurants could pose a formidable challenge to the current culinary offerings in Springfield.

During the recent council meeting, Michael Fenton, Justin Hurst, and Tim Allen inquired about various aspects of the casino, including its dining options. This topic had been brought up in previous discussions, with a particular focus on whether MGM had any plans to introduce an Italian restaurant.

Adolfo’s, a thriving Italian restaurant located in downtown Springfield, might be impacted by the presence of Red Rose, an Italian restaurant already established next to the casino site.

MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis declared his firm commitment to avoiding any interference with existing businesses, affirming that it was not their intention to cause harm or competition.

During the meeting, Mathis and his team were more open and acknowledged that the two restaurants planned would consist of an Italian restaurant and a steakhouse.

Casino parking is still up for debate

The casino’s plans consist of constructing a parking garage with a capacity of 3,000 spaces. Initially, the garage was intended to offer complimentary parking for casino visitors. Presently, MGM remains committed to providing free parking. Nevertheless, Mathis mentioned that the company may consider implementing parking fees at a later time, reserving that option.

Mathis’ possible decision to change his parking habits remains uncertain, as it is unclear if the street parking bans imposed multiple times during the winter in Springfield had any impact on public safety measures.

54 Springfield apartments still a matter for debate

As part of its agreement with the city, MGM committed to constructing more than 50 market rate apartments in Downtown Springfield while simultaneously developing the casino.

Last year, the company acquired an old School Board building with the intention of transforming it into apartment units. Mathis expressed concern about the project’s challenging aspect, which involves creating rentable units at market rates that would generate profit.

MGM is actively seeking additional buildings for acquisition and conversion into apartments. However, Mathis and other MGM representatives cautioned that the number of available units at “affordable” housing rates may not exactly reach 54. Nonetheless, Mathis assured the council that the company would make every effort to honor the essence of the housing agreement.

The anticipated opening of the casino is set for 2018, and currently, the $950 million project has achieved approximately 30 percent completion.