MGM to delay Massachusetts casino’s opening by a year

MGM Resorts submitted a revised schedule for its $800-million Springfield casino to Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) on Thursday, delaying its opening date by a year.

Under the new plan, the gambling facility is to be completed in August 2018 and to have its official opening on September 5, 2018. Originally, the property was expected to open doors for visitors in the fall of 2017.

MGM officials explained that the main reason for their move was the delay in the project for the Interstate 91 viaduct’s rehabilitation. According to them, it would make it difficult for the casino operator to follow its initial plan and open its property on time. The reconstruction project would close important lanes and exits in near proximity to the $800-million casino.

“At this point, we want to make sure we open the best way we can,” MGM Springfield President Michael Mathis told the commission. “The industry is littered with many examples of companies that made the wrong decisions for opening. Those are long-lasting decisions that take a long time to recover from. In a very competitive environment, we may lose some of these customers, frankly, forever.”