Hard Rock changing minds about Westside casino

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - There's a new player in the gambling game to bring a casino to Western Massachusetts.

Hard Rock International brought out the red carpet to unveil their plans for a resort casino at the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield.

The event had some skeptics rethinking what they thought about the possible Westside casino.

“Obviously there are issues to be resolved, things to be worked out but I'm opening minded now, I wasn't so open when I went in, but I am now,” Dominic Pompi said.

Dominic Pompi owns the busy Memo's Restaurant right across the street from the Fairgrounds.

His biggest concern is the issue of traffic but the addition of a new exit piqued his interest.

The casino would take up 40 acres of the Exposition property and maybe more.

Some businesses near the grounds told 22News the Big E has inquired about purchasing their land, but that's not the case on the other side of Memorial Avenue.

But if the Big E goes on as planned, Dominic isn't too concerned about the loss of business yet.

“The fair's still going to go on, the trade shows are still going to go on it's just what happens? That's what we're wondering, waiting,” Pompi continued.

But for Tony Liquori who has been going to Memo's for 40 years, the traffic is already a problem without the casino.

“Bad idea, I think there's too much congestion at the Big E as it is now you're quadrupling it or whatever.  The traffic's going to be unbearable it's already unbearable when the Big E is open,” Tony Liquori told 22News.

Hard Rock International has submitted the 400,000 dollar application fee, along with two other companies vying for a casino in Western Massachusetts.