Later last call approved for MGM Springfield gamblers
Massachusetts regulators voted 4-1 Thursday to allow alcohol service until 4 a.m. on the gaming floor at MGM Springfield, the nearly $1 billion resort casino scheduled to open Aug. 24 near Connecticut's northern border.
The action is expected to prompt a response from the Native American tribes that operate Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun.
“It is certainly a discussion point we will raise at the appropriate time,” said Chuck Bunnell, the Mohegan Tribe’s chief of staff.
In filing a liquor license application with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, MGM Springfield sought permission to serve alcohol from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily in 22 areas of the casino and to serve from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. to “patrons actively engaged in gambling.”
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker had approved a law last year that enabled casinos to seek the commission's approval of extended hours of service.
The Springfield City Council approved the extended hours earlier this month, despite objections from owners of bars and restaurants who feared being put at a disadvantage. Many residents opposed the hours in comments filed with the commission.
Commissioner Eileen O’Brien voted in opposition to MGM Springfield's request, specifically stating that, although she approved of the casino's overall application, she objected to the extended hours.
Comment threads are monitored for 48 hours after publication and then closed.
