THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS

MAYOR DOMENIC J. SARNO

HOME OF THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME

Press Release, Contact: Jim Leydon, (413) 886-5166, JLeydon@springfieldcityhall.com,

MGM Notifies City of Final Site Plans

***There will be press availability at 11:15 a.m. in the Office of Planning Economic Developments
conference room at 70 Tapley Street***
September 22, 2015 -Springfield, MA- MGM formally notified the city today on revised site plans in a
letter from MGM Springfield President Mike Mathis to Mayor Domenic Sarno. The plans reflect
changes subsequent to MGMs recent negotiations with the Massachusetts Historical Commission and
the Springfield Historical Commission, as well as the Massachusetts Gaming Commissions approval of
a delayed opening date for the resort casino development until September 2018.
The revised plans include, relocating the 250 four star hotel rooms from a glass tower in the middle of
the development, to Main Street, where the concept plans originally called for 54 units of market rate
housing. The plans now call for relocating the market rate housing nearby in downtown, but offsite from
the casino itself. All other terms of the HCA remain in place with regard to jobs and financial
commitments. While the proposal is a change in design, the changes will not result in any decrease in
spending on the proposed $800,000,000 project, and will, in fact, likely exceed that original proposal.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno commented, From the beginning, MGM Springfield has been about reinvigorating downtown. The redesigned plans offer increased walkability while fitting in the
architectural character of the city. I am happy to see the standards and quality that we set forth through
the initial process has been realized in the final product.
The concept plans will be reviewed by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission as well as the Citys
planning staff, and presented to the City Council in an Application for Site Plan Review.
Springfield City Solicitor Ed Pikula commented, The revised plans are within the authority of the Host
Community Agreement (HCA) and the approval provided by voters in the local referendum held

City of Springfield 36 Court Street Springfield, MA 01103-1687 (413) 787-6100

pursuant to the state Gaming Act. Pikula also noted that the changes would be the subject of a proposed
amendment to the HCA to be submitted for approval by the City Council in conjunction with the site
plan review process.
The Citys Chief Development Officer, Kevin Kennedy, noted, The revisions are a major step toward
stimulating the broader economic development associated with the Project. Kennedy went on to say,
Once these plans are finalized we will likely see more construction activity downtown. I like the idea
that the market rate housing projects are planned offsite. Not only does it spread the benefits to a wider
area, but the housing can be constructed and opened sooner than the casino.
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