MGM Springfield
At so many casinos, the odor that greets visitors is that of cigarette smoke. But at MGM Springfield, the odor that greets visitors who enter from the valet parking entrance is popcorn wafting from the seven-screen movie complex that sits atop a pair of stairs situated just off the gaming area. And that’s just one of the many and unexpected ways this five-month-old hotel-casino complex is unlike any this column has ever visited—and likely different from any that exists.
In today’s new-casino universe, the architectural strategy tends to lean toward ultra-modern, with steel and glass the primary materials and the lines smooth and seamless. But MGM Springfield, which is built on the site of a luxe, Gilded Age hotel called The Chandler, looks not to the future, but the past. Inside and out, the theme is Springfield’s history as a 19th- and 20th-century industrial and literary center.
Its ostensibly vintage exterior design could easily lead one to assume the entire complex—which encompasses some two-million square feet set on 14 acres—is the result of a massive rehabilitation project. But only one façade of the Chandler Hotel remains. Everything else—including the five-story, 250-room/suite boutique hotel-- was built from the ground up (at a reported cost of just under $1 billion).
Inside, materials that harken back to Springfield’s industrial heyday—wood, iron and concrete—predominate.
The casino’s emphasis on the past is perfectly encapsulated in what is essentially the hotel lobby. Rather than simply be the place where guest-room check-in occur, the small, unobtrusive front desk is part of an integrated space that also includes a Starbucks and a bar.
The bar’s setting out of various classic board games is a nod to Springfield being the hometown of the Milton Bradley Co., makers of so many iconic games. But the area also features shelves crammed with books. This is a tip of the cap to Springfield’s illustrious place in the world of letters:
Poet Emily Dickinson was born and raised in nearby Amherst, Mass., and her first published works appeared in The Republican, Springfield’s still-publishing daily newspaper. And Theodore Geisel—better known as Dr. Seuss—was, perhaps, the city’s most celebrated native son/daughter (others include actor Kurt Russell and pop-music titan Katy Perry).
It is Geisel who has the larger presence at MGM Springfield: Inside TAP, the casino’s sprawling sports bar, floorboards from his childhood home can be found in the ceilings. And studs from his house’s frame have been transformed into hanging artwork on display in the saloon.
The “industrial chic” design continues in the guest rooms, which suggest the Victorian era, but without the fussiness.
Among the flourishes are a large-screen HD TV (mounted not on the wall, but on an iron stand), hardwood flooring and a contemporary bathroom (including waterfall shower). Great little touches include slippers for guests and even an umbrella for them to use (but not keep).
The unique design doesn’t end at the property’s many doors. Outside are two large public spaces framed by a pair of striking buildings—a gothic former armory built in 1895 that now houses the ROAR! Comedy club, and a church that had to be moved 600 feet to accommodate the construction of the casino-hotel. It now houses a Kringle Candle Co. store.
The open area closest to the casino is a general public-use space. The other is a warm-weather concert facility.
As noted above, MGM Springfield—which is about a four-hour drive from Cherry Hill—clearly out-amenities its East Coast competition.
In addition to the requisite spa (The Spa at MGM Springfield, a wonderful sanctuary for the healing and restoring of mind and body) and multiple dining outlets (more on them below), MGM Springfield laps the field not just with the movie theater, but also with a TopGolf virtual-reality operation (there’s also one at Atlantic City’s Ocean Resort) and a 10-lane bowling center and arcade located inside TAP.
When it comes to dining, MGM Springfield takes a backseat to no gaming hall. The heavy lifting is undertaken by Cal Mare from celebri-chef Michael Mina (whose now- defunct Sea Blue was an original offering at Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa) and The Chandler steakhouse.
Cal Mare is an airy, informal dining room featuring exposed brick walls and floors that are divided between wood and tile. The open kitchen specializes in wood-grilled dishes. Be advised Cal Mare is the home of what may be the world’s best clams casino!
There is also a grab-’n’-go pizza stand that operates at the front of the restaurant.
But it’s The Chandler that is the property’s shining culinary star—and not just for its classic (and classically pricey) steakhouse menu supervised by executive chef Meghan Gill, the Season 14 winner on “Hell’s Kitchen” (both beef and seafood are exceptional).
The Chandler’s circular main dining room features Greek columns that soar through the ceiling, as well as a massive crystal chandelier that hangs suspended over plush, red-velvet banquettes. Together, the accoutrements provide patrons a taste of the opulence of a bygone era that would make a J.P. Morgan or Diamond Jim Brady feel right at home.
Other, less-formal dining options are found at TAP and among the six outlets at the South End Market food court. Of special note is Jack’s Lobster Shack, which is a fabulous lobster-roll version of a cheesesteak stand.
For the adult-beverage crowd, there are The Lobby Bar, Commonwealth and Knox Bar. The large Commonwealth is the casino’s “party central” operation, while Knox Bar (named for the Springfield tycoon who built the Armory and for whom Fort Knox) is set in the high-limit gaming salon.
Commonwealth is the home of the Indian Sidecar (named in honor of the manufacturer of the legendary Indian motorcycle, another Springfield icon). The drink itself is made with 901 single-vintage Croizet cognac, Grand Marnier Quintessence, fresh lemon and a gold-sugar rim. It’s served with a bottle of 1901 cognac--and an actual Indian cycle, which explains the $25,000 price tag. Without the bike and bottle, it costs $25.
For more, go to www.mgmspringfield.com.
