Mohegan Sun
Spend a little time at Mohegan Sun, and you might be moved to think its advertising slogan should be “Too Much Is Never Enough.” That’s because the hotel-casino complex that sits on the banks of the Thames River in Uncasville, Conn., does absolutely nothing on a small scale.
Casino? Mohegan Sun has three full-service gaming spaces, as well as a 42-table poker parlor.
Food and drink outlets? There are 46, ranging from quick-bite stations and cocktail lounges to posh eateries.
Shopping options? There are 37 stores at which to browse and buy.
You get the idea. The flagship of the ever-expanding Mohegan Sun gaming empire (which includes Resorts Casino-Hotel in Atlantic City and Mohegan Sun in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) measures up to any such establishment, East Coast or otherwise, when it comes to fun-and-games options.
“Our operating philosophy is really to be a full-destination resort. In order to do so, we need to have a lot of amenities and a lot of options for guests. It’s having the dining, it’s having the shopping, it’s having the Arena, the spa…the convention space, the Kids Quest area for children,” said Ray Pineault, Mohegan Sun’s general manager. The idea, he added, is to make the pleasure dome with the signature modern, blue-glass hotel towers a destination for people from beyond the immediate Southern New England/New York region. And to give them plenty to do once they arrive.
“Your visit may not be primarily gaming,” offered Pineault. “Your visit may be primarily related to something else, but you’re new to the property and enjoying all the various amenities we have to offer.”
There are few, if any, casinos that emphasize sports and entertainment the way Mohegan Sun does. Of course, that’s not surprising considering the guy in charge of that aspect of the operation is Thomas L. Cantone, who literally wrote the book on the modern hotel-entertainment field (in 2014, he published “Book ‘Em,” which blended autobiographical info with a discussion of his groundbreaking entertainment booking policies and philosophies).
The linchpin is the property’s 10,000-seat arena. Last year, it was proclaimed the world’s top casino venue by Pollstar magazine, which covers the concert industry. It not only hosts regularly top touring acts (including The Who and Queen + Adam Lambert this summer and Lady Gaga in November), but is also the home of the Connecticut Sun WNBA team and the New England Black Wolves pro lacrosse team. Boxing and mixed martial arts events are also regular attractions.
In addition, Mohegan Sun entertains guests at the Wolf Den, a 350-seat lounge located on the floor of the Casino of the Earth. All shows offer free admission, even when such headliners as Blake Shelton, Duran Duran, Blue Oyster Cult, Christopher Cross, Bell Biv Devoe and LeAnne Rimes have played there.
As for dining, South Jersey residents will feel at home grabbing “one wit’” at Geno’s. This is not a northern outpost of the iconic South Philly cheesesteakery, but Geno’s Fast Break Food Court, owned by legendary University of Connecticut women’s basketball coach (and Delaware Valley native) Geno Auriemma.
On the higher end, choices include Jasper White’s Summer Shack, where traditional New England seafood (lobster, clams etc.) is served with a beachy, casual vibe, and Ballo, an upscale Italian salon. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the 16-ounce sirloin I had at Michael Jordan’s Steak House. It was perfectly cooked (medium rare) and arguably the most flavorful steak I’ve ever eaten in a casino carnivorium.
Design-wise, the property is somewhat schizophrenic. Despite the ultra-contemporary exterior, inside, the décor is all about the heritage of the Mohegan Sun tribe, particularly its powerful connection to the land. Earth tones predominate, and rushing water is a prominent theme: The huge stone wall that fronts Todd English's Tuscany Italian eatery features a waterfall. Another splits the escalators ferrying guests between the two public levels.
Despite the complex’s grand scale (which will get even more grand next year when a 131,000-square-foot expo center opens), attention to detail is a constant theme throughout the property. The nicely appointed hotel rooms boast night tables with built-in, motion-sensitive nightlights that activate as soon as one puts a foot on the floor. Instead of the cumbersome “books” that delineate the various amenities available in the hotel and casino, each room is furnished with a digital tablet containing all needed info.
And throughout, prominently located dispensers allow visitors in the public spaces access to hand sanitizer -- a super idea in such an environment.
