What you need to know
- The MGC awarded the resort-casino license in Region B (Western Massachusetts) to Blue Tarp reDevelopment, LLC on June 13, 2014.
- The resort-casino licensing fee is $85 million and requires a capital investment, to include a hotel facility, of at least $500 million. The Commonwealth will receive 25% of gross gaming revenues.
- The MGC awarded a five-year Category 1 Sports Wagering Operator License to Blue Tarp reDevelopment, LLC d/b/a MGM Springfield on December 19, 2022; they received their operations certificate on January 31, 2023.
- The sports wagering operator licensing fee for a 5-year license is $5 million. Category 1 Sports Wagering Licensees are taxed on 15% of gross sports wagering revenue.
- MGM Springfield resort-casino opened on August 24, 2018. Their sportsbook opened on January 31, 2023.
Description from the Licensee:
MGM Springfield is designed to ignite an urban revival.
The integrated resort casino is designed to enhance the entire urban center of Springfield. The mixed-used development includes a 251-room hotel with world-class amenities including a spa, pool and roof deck; 125,000 square feet of gaming space with 2,500 slot machines, 93 gaming tables, 23 poker tables and a high limit VIP gambling area; about 96,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space that will accommodate 15 shops and restaurants; 46,000 square feet of convention space; and a multi-level parking garage.
The project also includes a high-energy dining, retail and entertainment district with a seven-screen cinema, bowling alley, seasonal ice skating rink, and an outdoor stage. The project was developed by Davenport Properties of Boston, on land formerly occupied by the tornado-ravaged South End Community Center and Howard Street School.
MGM Springfield expects to bring 3,000 permanent jobs and 2,000 construction jobs to Downtown Springfield. MGM has established a hiring goal of 35 percent of the workforce from the City of Springfield and 90 percent from a combination of Springfield and the region. Additionally, MGM Springfield has entered into surrounding community agreements with neighboring communities providing for tens of millions of dollars and has committed to spending approximately $50 million annually with regional vendors and suppliers.
The MGM Springfield site is located on approximately 14.5 acres of land between Union and State streets, and Columbus Avenue and Main Street.
To learn more about MGM Springfield, visit its website.
The Development
| Status | Resort-Casino opened August 24, 2018. Sportsbook opened January 31, 2023. |
| Address | One MGM Way, Springfield |
| Employees | 1,330 (as of Q3 2022) |
| Construction Jobs | 4,249 |
| Job Listings | MGM Springfield Careers |
| Vendor Opportunities | MGM Springfield Vendors |
| Diversity Plan | Construction and Operations Phases |
| Workforce Development Plan | Operations Phase |
| Procurement Diversity and Local Spend Plan | Operations Phase |
| Hotel rooms | 240 (as of June 30, 2022) |
| Retail space | 26,000 square feet (as of June 30, 2022) |
| Restaurant/food outlet space | 65,225 square feet |
| Convention space | 46,023 square feet |
| Parking spaces | 3,375 covered on site |
| Movie theater | 42,926 square feet |
| RFA-2 | Application | Attachments |
| Resort-Casino License Agreement | Agreement |
| Sports Wagering Application Documents | Application | Additional Application Submission | Final Licensing Decision |
About the MGM Springfield Sportsbook
MGM Springfield – legally known as Blue Tarp reDevelopment, LLC – was awarded a Category 1 Sports Wagering Operator License during an MGC public meeting on December 19, 2022. Their operations certificate went into effect on January 31, 2023.
The sports wagering operator licensing fee is $5 million for MGM Springfield’s five-year license. As a Category 1 Sports Wagering Licensee, they are taxed on 15% of gross sports wagering revenue.
About the MGM Springfield Workforce Development Plan
As part of the effort to ensure that Massachusetts residents benefit from the operational jobs created by casino development in the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Legislature created as part of the Expanded Gaming Act requirements that casino licensees satisfy and produce for Commission approval an Affirmative Action Program for Equal Opportunity (the Affirmative Action Program). Pursuant to the Act, the Affirmative Action Program must describe how the licensee will identify and market employment opportunities to under and unemployed residents of the Commonwealth identified in c.23k 21 (22) and in consultation with the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development to identify and market employment opportunities to unemployed residents of Massachusetts.
MGM presented the MGM Springfield Workforce Development Plan to the Commission at Public Meeting #211 on March 2, 2017 to satisfy the requirements described above regarding employment and career opportunities at the MGM Springfield. The Commission approved the Plan at its Public Meeting #217 on May 25, 2017, with the condition that MGM Springfield provide further detail regarding its strategy to meet the employment goal of hiring 35% of operational workforce from the City of Springfield as indicated in its Host Community Agreement with the City.
Over the next few years, the MGM Springfield Workforce Development Plan will be a road map for maximizing the economic benefits for residents of the Commonwealth. The Commission looks forward to an ongoing dialogue with communities and other interested parties regarding the plan and its implementation.
To read the MGM Springfield Workforce Development Plan, click here.
About the MGM Springfield Regional Tourism Plan
On July 19, 2018, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission voted 3-0 to approve the Regional Tourism Marketing Plan provided by category 1 licensee Blue Tarp ReDevelopment, LLC d/b/a MGM Springfield.
In the Agreement to Award a Category 1 License to Blue Tarp Redevelopment, LLC License Condition 16 requires MGM Springfield produce a regional tourism and marketing plan “In consultation with the regional tourism council and with the MA Office of Travel and Tourism, and subject to approval by the Commission, create a regional tourism marketing and hospitality plan. Such plan shall include, but is not limited to, making space available in the gaming establishment for state and regional tourism information, links on the Designated Licensee’s website to the regional tourism council website, a joint marketing program with the regional tourism council and the MOTT, staff training in regards to the plan and the sharing of visitor data with the regional tourism council and the MOTT. Such plan shall be provided to the commission for its approval at least 90 days prior to the anticipated commencement of operation of the gaming establishment.”
MGC staff issued a formal request for the tourism plan on March 15, 2018 and received an initial version on Wed, May 23, 2018 satisfying the 90 day requirement. MGC staff have also had several conversations with Francois-Laurent Nivaud, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) and Mary Kay Wydra, President of the Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Regional Tourism Council of Pioneer Valley. MGM Springfield submitted a revised version of the plan on July 9, 2018 based on feedback from MGC, MOTT and the Regional Tourism Council, and submitted a final version on July 16, 2018. Both representatives of Regional Tourism Council of Pioneer Valley and the MA Office of Travel and Tourism recommended approval of the final plan.
MGC Director of Workforce, Supplier, and Diversity Development Jill Griffin recommended that the Commission approve MGM Springfield’s final version of the Regional Tourism Marketing Plan as shown in the attached documents provided that such approval shall not be construed to supercede any obligations pursuant to MGL c. 23K, or to the conditions of MGM Springfield’s license, including but not limited to Condition #16 relative to compliance with the information included in the application filed by the Designated Licensee and the evaluation reports filed by the Commission.