On the MGM Springfield casino playlist this week:
As Time Goes By: MGM’s agreement with the city to complete all construction within 33 months — in other words, by the end of the summer of 2017 — may not be as iron-clad as it once seemed. What’s the challenge now? A big one: the Interstate 91 viaduct is scheduled for reconstruction, and that huge project won’t be completed until July of 2018. The casino has promised thousands of visitors, but it doesn’t take a CEO’s spidey sense to spot worse odds of success while the highway is a hot mess. MGM will discuss their deadlines with the state Gaming Commission at their next meeting on June 25.
One Way or Another: Will Connecticut succeed in teasing back some of the casino revenue it stands to lose to MGM Springfield and other facilities in neighboring states? Gov. Dannel Malloy isn’t certain, but he’s preparing to sign a new bill into law that may get to the bottom of the question. Once the bill is signed, the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes plan to issue a request for proposals for a satellite casino in northern Connecticut. Malloy hadn’t always been gunning for this — in 2014 he told the Hartford Courant, “I don’t think that there is a consensus in Connecticut that people want a lot more gambling” — but hey, what a difference a year makes.
Come Together: The South End Community Center operated out of the former State Armory building on Howard Street until the tornado swept through in 2011. After that, the building sat in disrepair until MGM scooped it up. But here’s some positive news for local residents nostalgic for good activity space: Springfield’s Park Commission and Planning Board have approved site plans for a brand-new South End Community Center at Emerson Wight Park. Construction on the $10.6 million dollar building — which will include basketball courts, a boxing room, a fitness area, and classrooms — is scheduled to begin in the fall.•
How will the South End transform as we usher in the era of MGM? Send your predictions to hstyles@valleyadvocate.com.
