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MGM Sets March 24 Groundbreaking On $800M Springfield Casino

BOSTON (AP) — MGM executives have outlined their construction schedule for an $800 million resort casino in downtown Springfield.

At a rare Springfield meeting for the state gambling commission on Thursday, casino officials said March 24 will be the formal groundbreaking for the project.

That will be followed by basic site preparation activities, including upgrades to utility and sewer lines, demolition of existing buildings and initial foundation work.

The casino is expected to open in late 2017 and is poised to become Massachusetts's first Las Vegas-style casino.

Wynn Resorts is also developing a $1.7 billion casino in the Boston suburb of Everett and aiming for a 2017 opening.

Penn National Gaming is set to open the state's first casino: a $250 million slot parlor at the harness racing facility in Plainville.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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