© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

MGM to Connecticut Tribes: What About Bridgeport?

Michael Blann/Digital Vision
/
Thinkstock

MGM International wants to give Connecticut a little advice about siting its proposed new casino. The gaming group has released a study which says if Connecticut put a third casino somewhere in Fairfield County, it would generate more revenue and more jobs. 

A partnership between Connecticut’s two federally recognized Indian tribes is the moving force behind the plan for a third casino in Connecticut. And MGM’s casino in Springfield, which is currently under construction, is the principal target of that plan. The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes say the Massachusetts facility, so close to Connecticut’s border, would siphon off gamblers and revenue. That’s why they’ve identified the I91 corridor as the best place for their proposed third casino, and they’re currently looking at bids from Hartford, East Hartford and Windsor Locks.

But a new report, commissioned by MGM from Oxford Economics, says a casino in, say, Bridgeport, some 80 miles from Springfield, would generate almost 5,734 jobs, while a casino near Hartford, would create 2,080. The study goes on to say that a Bridgeport facility would produce about $70 million in new revenue for the state, while the addition from a Hartford area casino would be only about $16 million a year.

Andrew Doba, the spokesman for the Connecticut tribes' partnership issued a statement saying, "it should surprise exactly no one that an MGM funded study finds that the best place to put a new casino is as far away as possible from MGM Springfield." He continued, "our goal today is the same as it was when we started this process last year - to make sure that Connecticut jobs don't migrate over the border to Massachusetts."

Harriet Jones is Managing Editor for Connecticut Public Radio, overseeing the coverage of daily stories from our busy newsroom.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content