Join CDC Gaming as we embark upon a road trip Inside America’s Casinos. For our third stop, we visit MGM Springfield.

Leaving Boston on my way to Springfield wasn’t a sudden departure. It was a transition that unfolded over 90+ miles heading west. The polished waterfront of Encore Boston Harbor and the manicured lawns and statues on the edges of Harvard’s campus made me feel like I was in a controlled environment. Be it an old university or a new casino resort, everything was carefully planned, designed, and placed.

First impressions — Springfield first, casino second

By the time I left Boston and started to make my way west on I-90, the view slowly gave way to something more grounded. As I got closer to Springfield, the vibe felt different before I could even see the MGM casino.

Coming off I-91 and moving through downtown exits toward East Columbus Avenue, there’s no defining moment when the casino reveals itself from a distance, the way the Encore Boston Harbor does from across the Mystic River. Instead, you have to drive through intersections, go under bridges, and stop at traffic lights. It’s Springfield first, MGM Springfield second.

Integration, not spectacle

Just like Boston, the casino’s surroundings are still defined by their industrial past, where parts of the city are transforming and trying to catch up with the investment around them. And we’re talking about a big investment here. In fact, the $960 million complex was the largest single construction project in western Massachusetts. But unlike Encore Boston Harbor, which sits apart from the city’s urban center, MGM Springfield was built to serve as an engine for the redevelopment of the city’s center, sitting on three blocks in downtown Springfield.

Confusing entry

I drove past a small square that had quite a few entrances and signs. One said “Casino,” another “Market Hall,” and I also noticed the MGM logo above one entrance, but there was no grand entrance to the casino. I had to walk through older brick buildings, hallways, and a food court to find the gaming floor. Instead of a signal coherent structure, MGM Springfield is a bunch of connected buildings, some historic, others new.

Walking into MGM Springfield casino for the first time, it didn’t feel like one place. I’m not sure whether it was intentional or due to limitations on the 14.5-acre site, which already had historic buildings dating back hundreds of years before the casino’s 2018 opening.

The property — A tighter floorplan

It took me awhile to find the gaming floor, but once inside, it all clicked beautifully. The casino at MGM Springfield is about 125,000 square feet, smaller than Encore’s. But there was also something about the design that made it feel a lot more focused and contained than what I experienced in Boston. The casino has around 2,500 slot cabinets, 120 table games, a 23-table poker room, high-limit gaming areas, a video poker area, and a decent-sized sportsbook (as expected from an MGM property).

Whether I’m on my own gambling holiday or when I’m writing about a property for work, I always do an initial walk across the floor when entering a new casino, just wandering around to orient myself before diving deeper and starting to look for games. Although there’s a lot going on in this casino, it took me less than 10 minutes to walk the entire floor. A wide wooden-floor pathway circles the hall and once you walk into the carpeted gaming area, slots are tightly arranged and easy to find, alongside the table games arranged in one area at the center of the gaming floor.

A warm welcome

The tight layout, low ceilings, and defined pathways allowed me to circulate and not drift, as happens to me at other casinos, including other MGM properties. And unlike larger gambling destinations  covered with shiny marble and bright lights, this casino gave me a warm, almost homey feel.

Inviting high-limit game rooms

Walking around the gaming floor at MGM Springfield, I noticed various dedicated lounges outside of the perimeter. While the high-limit rooms in many casinos are built to impart luxury, the ones at MGM Springfield were designed to look warm and inviting (in line with the rest of the property’s design).

I usually don’t gamble in high-limit rooms, as I personally like the social atmosphere and buzz of higher-limit tables on the main floor. But this wasn’t the case here and I found myself drawn to make a few (unlucky) high-limit bets in the high-limit rooms. Although I lost, I still enjoyed the experience. I also enjoyed the nice room dedicated to video poker. I wasn’t the only one who felt invited, as all the high-limit rooms had more players in them than I usually see at casinos.

A functional sportsbook

Whenever I visit an MGM property, I always look for the BetMGM Sportsbook, one of my favorite retail betting brands. It’s not always about who has the biggest screens and La-Z-Boy-style couches, but more about the social atmosphere that brings bettors and sports fans together. The sportsbook at the Springfield property followed the ethos, designed like a cinema-style hall with rows of chairs facing a wall of medium-sized screens. I usually prefer to sit at the high tables and stools and socialize with fellow bettors and sports fans. Although there is a bar area next to the betting windows, it lacked a bit of atmosphere. I would have liked to see more tables offering food and beer, with surrounding screens, as I’m used to at other MGM properties.

The players — Locals first

Did I mention already that it’s Springfield first, casino second? Well, the crowd reflects the same idea. Of the many players I spoke to, few were visiting from afar. Most  were coming back from across the street, nearby towns, and from farther afield in western Massachusetts. But most of the gamblers at MGM Springfield seemed like locals who dropped in after work, young and old. I saw people in suits and ties and others wearing the same jacket with a construction company logo.

The great thing about it was the hometown feeling. People knew each other, greeted each other while walking past slots, and gathered to socialize around game tables. It wasn’t only the casino’s design that made me feel at home; it was the guests, too.

Beyond gaming — A boutique resort

Once done with the gaming, it was time to check the rest of the property, which like the casino feels compact. However, unlike the condensed gaming area, the rest of the property spans buildings connected by hallways and passages. I even exited the buildings and walked outside to get to some areas.

The hotel, which has around 240 rooms, feels more like a downtown business hotel than a casino-resort (maybe that’s why I saw suits on the gaming floor earlier). I walked through different buildings to find all the restaurants and bars, a cinema complex, a live-entertainment venue, even a bowling alley built inside a sports bar.

Leaving the casino, downtown, and Springfield

When it was time for me to leave MGM Springfield, I didn’t feel any clear-cut transition, as I do when I leave large casino-resorts. No manicured driveway and fancy gate pour you back out to reality. I stepped outside, crossed the street, and there I was in the middle of downtown again.

I felt I never really left reality and that’s probably the best way to describe this property. Unlike many monumental casino structures that try to stand apart, MGM Springfield operates within its surroundings. And I think it does a great job.