MGM Springfield is one of three resort casinos in Massachusetts. After a tornado ripped through the city in 2011, the 2018 addition of the casino resort to downtown Springfield aimed to transform the business district entirely.

About a third of the downtown area was damaged in the aftermath. The construction of MGM Springfield promised to turn an area that was economically depressed into a vibrant center of entertainment. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic halted progress on the rejuvenation of downtown.

The recent launch of sports betting in Massachusetts provided a boost to the facility, but MGM Springfield still has non-gambling plans to get back on track.

MGM Springfield and the state’s two other casinos had to shut down for three months in 2020 due to the pandemic. Consequently, revenue dipped sharply and didn’t return to steady pre-COVID levels until 2022.