Ameristar Casinos is planning an advertising blitz for its planned Springfield casino.
A new company is entering the competition for a casino license in Massachusetts.
Chicago casino and real estate developer Neil G. Bluhm will pursue a casino in Massachusetts and will send a company official to meet with consultants for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission next week, said an executive in Bluhm's company.
Greg Carlin
"We think Massachusetts is a great market for gaming," Greg Carlin, chief executive officer of Rush Street Gaming, told a reporter Thursday. "We're excited to pursue one of the licenses."
The new entrant in the Massachusetts casino competition comes as Ameristar Casinos of Las Vegas is planning an advertising blitz for its planned Springfield casino.
At a reporter's request, Stephen P. Crosby, chairman of the gaming commission, on Wednesday released the name of Bluhm's Massachusetts company, which is called Massachusetts Gaming & Entertainment, LLC.
Crosby declined to provide contact information or an address for the company.
Carlin said he could not say where in Massachusetts the company would seek a gaming license. He said they have not gone public with a site.
The Chicago company might provide the extra competition being sought by the gaming commission. The commission has been seeking more competition in the Boston area, which so far has only one bidder.
"We haven't decided what we are going to do yet," Carlin said on Thursday, when reached after several attempts.
Bluhm's company has several casinos including projects in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Des Plaines, Illinois.
Troy A. Stremming
As part of its ad campaign, Ameristar is placing a two-page advertisement in the Sunday Republican called "Ameristar Offers More." The company, which is planning a casino on 41 acres off Interstate 291 and Page Boulevard in Springfield, also is planning to place ads on the buses of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority and to finance several billboards, said Troy A. Stremming, a senior vice president with Ameristar, said Thursday.
Stremming said Ameristar has "a good story" and wants to tell it.
In Springfield, Ameristar is competing with MGM Resorts International, which is proposing a casino for 10 acres in the South End of the city's downtown.
MGM has also worked on public relations in Springfield by donating $50,000 to the South End Community Center and $15,000 to July 4 festivities in Springfield. MGM is also sponsoring the Springfield Falcons Hockey Team.
Penn National Gaming, working in partnership with Peter A. Picknelly, the CEO of Peter Pan Bus Lines, is also planning a casino in Springfield along Main Street in the North End including on property owned by The Republican and the bus company.
Ameristar's push comes as the three casino companies face a Dec. 14 deadline for submitting materials under a final phase of the city of Springfield's effort to solicit bids.
While Springfield has a bidding process for the city, the gaming commission is moving forward with its own process.
The state's expanded gambling law authorizes casinos in three regions of the state including one for anywhere in the four counties of Western Massachusetts.
The company that owns the Mohegan Sun is proposing a casino for Palmer. The Mohegan Sun would compete for the Western Massachusetts license with whatever company or companies emerges from the Springfield competition, which is being led by Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.
Suffolk Downs and its partner, Caesars Entertainment of Las Vegas, are planning a casino in Boston. The Plainridge Racecourse is seeking a license for a single slots parlor allowed in the state law.
Representatives of all seven companies are scheduled for meetings on Monday and Tuesday with consultants for the gaming commission, Crosby said.
The commission, which would license and regulate casinos, is holding the meetings to decide which officials in a company will face background checks.
"There might be a debate about how far into an organization our background checks have to go," Crosby said. "If there is a debate, that's what we would debate in a private meeting with each of the bidders. In the end, it is up to us to decide, but we are happy to hear people out and talk about it."
The Wampanoag tribe of Mashpee is seeking to open a casino in Taunton. The tribe is not part of next week's meetings with the gaming commission since it was given special rights to a casino license in the southeast part of the state.