MGM Resorts’ new Massachusetts casino generated nearly $9.5m in its first week of activity, despite bad publicity regarding underage visitors drifting near its gaming floor.
Figures released Monday by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) show the new $960m MGM Springfield in the state’s southwest corner generated gross gaming revenue of $9.45m between August 24-31, of which $2.1m came via its gaming tables while the rest came from slots.
Across the state, Penn National Gaming’s slots-only Plainridge Park Casino, which opened in June 2015, generated nearly $15.4m in the whole month of August. That’s $250k more than the property earned in July, so it appears to be weathering the new competition well.
Of the two operators’ combined August gaming revenue of $24.8m, the state’s tax take came to $9.9m. As a Category 1 facility, MGM pays 25% tax on its gaming revenue, while the Category 2 Plainridge pays a 49% rate.
Mass Live quoted MGM Springfield property president Michael Mathis celebrating the “tremendously successful” returns over the venue’s first eight days of business and pronouncing himself pleased that the venue “is being so enthusiastically received.”
Mathis said MGM Springfield welcomed over 150k guests in just its opening weekend, and the property “continues to experience good visitor volumes” even after the grand opening hubbub has died down somewhat.
MGM’s new venue is the state’s first proper integrated resort, in that it also offers a variety of non-gaming amenities, including a six-screen movie theater. As such, the venue was forced to issue a reminder to guests last week that the gaming floor was off-limits to anyone under 21 years of age and that no under-21s were allowed to be anywhere on the property between the hours of midnight and 8am, unless they can show either a room key or a ticket to the late movie.
Furthermore, children under 16 must at all times be accompanied by adults and no one who isn’t of gambling age is permitted to loiter on the periphery of the gaming floor while their parents get their gamble on. MGM spokesperson Saverio Mancini helpfully informed local media that gamblers needed to make “every effort” to keep their kids clear of anyone loudly proclaiming the need for a new pair of shoes.
