MGM officials declined to release exact poll numbers, beyond saying they are confident that a referendum would pass. Watch video
08.23.2012 | SPRINGFIELD -- MGM Resorts International executives met with reporters and editors from The Republican Thursday morning to discuss the company's proposed casino development in the city's South End and Metro Center neighborhoods. At left, Bill Hornbuckle, chief marketing officer of MGM Resorts International and president of MGM Springfield; at right, MGM's senior vice president of public affairs, Alan R. Feldman.SPRINGFIELD — Executives behindMGM Resorts International’s plans for an $800 million to $900 million casino complex in the city’s South End said Thursday their polling data suggest that city voters would approve casino gambling here.
Bill Hornbuckle, chief marketing officer for MGM Resorts International, and Alan M. Feldman, senior vice president for public affairs, met Thursday with reporters and editors at The Republican. Their polling came up in reference to the extensive groundwork the company laid prior to Wednesday’s lavish rollout of its casino plans.
MGM officials declined to release exact poll numbers beyond saying they are confident that a referendum would pass.
The conversation also covered MGM Resorts finances and its controversial relationship with investors in Chinese Macau, which caused New Jersey regulators to require that MGM sell its half share in an Atlantic City casino.
On Wednesday, MGM Resorts proposed more than a half million square feet of new development in the city’s South End. The $800 million figure originally cited doesn’t count an entertainment zone MGM plans to build on what is now Howard Street. That part of the project moves forward only if MGM wins the right to buy the old South End Community Center, which hasn’t been used since the 2011 tornado. The entertainment zone pushes the project to $900 million, Hornbuckle said.
MGM's is just one of four casino proposals in Springfield. Ameristar Casinos, Penn National Gaming Inc. and Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment all have casino proposals in Springfield. Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, owners of Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, have a proposal in Palmer.
The Penn National project would be in the North End and companies associated with that proposal recently presented an option to buy The Republican’s Main Street office and property.
But none of it will happen unless local voters approve. In 1995, a casino referendum was defeated, with 17,852 against and 16,169 in favor. In 1994 the vote was 17,825 votes against casino gambling and 16,930 votes in favor of casinos.
The citywide referendum, which is required by state law, will probably occur next spring, said Kevin E. Kennedy, the city’s chief development officer.
The people behind all four Springfield casino proposals will meet informally Monday with Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. Afterward, Sarno plans to announce a tentative timeline and request for proposals.
Casino opponent Archbishop Timothy Paul Baymon, president of the Council of Churches of Western Massachusetts, said his group is getting a very different impression going door-to-door and advocating against casinos in church congregations around the city.
“There is a fighting chance this could be defeated,” Baymon said.
But state and local regulators will look hard at every applicant, including finances and background. MGM has debt, but Feldman said a lot of that has to do with its $9.2 billion City Center project in Las Vegas, which opened in 2009.
“We kept going with that through the recession,” he said.
The company can lay its hands on $1.5 billion in financing now if needed, Hornbuckle said.
“Financing isn’t going to be a problem,” Feldman said. “The same is true, by the way, for all the applicants in Springfield. Financing in Springfield is not going to be a problem.”
Hornbuckle defended the company’s involvement with Pansy Ho in Macau. New Jersey regulators were concerned enough about Ho and her father, Stanley Ho, that they forced MGM to sell its half-interest in an Atlantic City casino.
Hornbuckle said MGM is the majority owner of the Macau operations and Stanley Ho has no influence over Pansy Ho or on the MGM operation. MGM acquiesced to New Jersey regulators because the Macau operation is simply worth more to them than Atlantic City.