Penn National, based in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, is planning a casino on land that includes the Peter Pan Bus Lines and the property of The Republican.
A couple of leaders of Penn National Gaming were in Springfield on Thursday as part of the company's planning for a casino resort in the North End of the city's downtown.
D. Eric Schippers, senior vice president of public affairs for Penn National, said the company is getting closer to unveiling its casino plans for Springfield but is still working on final details. He declined comment on details, saying he didn't want to release specifics in a piece-meal fashion.
Schippers said the company feels good about its chances for winning the casino license for Western Massachusetts.
"We have a very good site we think will have positive ripple benefits across Springfield," he said.
Penn National, based in Wyomissing, Pa., is planning a casino on land that includes the Peter Pan Bus Lines and the property of The Republican.
He said lawyers are "putting the finishing touches" on an agreement for the company to obtain an option to buy The Republican's Main Street building and property and the newspaper's eight vacant acres on the Connecticut River. A sale would hinge on whether Penn National wins approval for a casino from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.
MGM Resorts, the largest casino operator on the Las Vegas strip, in August formally announced that it plans to build an $800 million casino in the South End of the downtown of Springfield. Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas is planning a casino in Springfield off Page Boulevard and Interstate 291, on 41 acres that it bought for $16 million. The Mohegan Sun is planning a casino for Palmer.
Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is also planning a process for the city to select a casino or casinos. Sarno would negotiate agreements with a company or companies and eventually put the agreements up for a vote by city residents. If voters approve those agreements, those deals would be sent to the gaming commission as part of a company's bid to compete for the Western Massachusetts license.
The city on Friday will be releasing the first phase of its request for bids, according to Thomas Walsh, the city’s communications director.
Sarno, City Solicitor Edward M. Pikula, and Chief Development Officer Kevin E. Kennedy will be conducting a press briefing at 11 a.m., at City Hall, to discuss the first phase of requests for bids.
Schippers met on Thursday met with the company's partner in Springfield, Peter A. Picknelly, chairman and CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines. Penn National now has an office in Peter Pan's building, he said.
Schippers praised the partnership with Picknelly, citing the family's long business history in Springfield, it's record of support for charities and Picknelly's deep roots in the community. Schippers was in Springfield with Jeffrey Morris, director of public affairs at Penn National.
The Rev. Talbert Swan, president of the Springfield branch of the NAACP, said he met with Morris on Thursday to advocate for hiring 25 to 30 percent minorities as employees and suppliers at a Springfield casino.
Schippers said Springfield "is a terrific market and fits the successful pattern" of Penn National establishing urban casinos, including those in Bangor, Toledo and three communities in Illinois -- Joliet, Aurora, Alton. Springfield is also strategically located to stop the flow of gambling dollars to Connecticut casinos, Schippers added.
Staff writer Peter Goonan contributed to this report.