I-Team: South End land agreements

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - If MGM Resorts International eventually wins a casino license in Springfield, they'll have to buy a lot of property.  The 22News I-Team discovers if the casino company is already paving the way to Springfield, by signing agreements to buy land if it wins the license.  

MGM's casino proposal takes up a significant chunk of real estate in Springfield's South End; between State and Union Streets and Columbus and Main Streets. 

That means that MGM would have to buy that land from the current property owners.  MGM's CEO refused to answer the 22News I-Team questions about these land deals on Thursday.

(Has their been any land bought yet?)

"I'm not going to answer, I don't think it's relevant to this right now", says MGM CEO Jim Murran.

Since MGM wasn't answering our questions, the 22News I-Team went to the city assessor's department in City Hall.  We looked up all the property owners in that three block radius. 

Close to half of the properties under MGM's proposal are owned by companies located here at 95 State Street. The 22News I-Team found out many of them are located in the same suite.

The 22News I-Team went to C & W Realty and asked for Fran Cataldo Jr.

"I don't talk about my business", says Cataldo.
(Is their a confidentially agreement signed?)
"I don't comment about my business", says Cataldo.

Dino Isotti owns Tony's Famous Barber Shop. He didn't want to be on camera, but said he does have a signed agreement in place to sell to MGM if it wins the casino license, but no money has been exchanged.  

The city owns some land, the comptrollers office says there are no agreements in place with MGM to sell the land.  No one was at a church on Bliss Street, but 22News talked to a woman who identified herself on the phone as the church's secretary.  She told 22News that the members of the church own it and MGM hasn't approached them, but a local company was looking to buy the land.
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Rescue Mission Executive Director Ron Willoughby told 22News they have talked with MGM, but it's just talk right now.