SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The next big step in the MGM casino project has started this week. MGM construction will start to take shape with the parking garage as first building set to go up.
The garage is set to have seven levels and 3,400 parking spaces. MGM says the garage is expected to take 20 months to complete. The casino company says that during the week of May 16, site clearing and dust monitoring is underway, as well as bulk excavation, on the parking garage. Foundation work is also scheduled to begin.
For the last year, residents and drivers have been only seeing demolition and utility upgrades going on at the casino site. Now, MGM also says buildings will start to go up at the 14-acre site, with the parking garage being the first.
In order to for the project to move on from demolition into construction, MGM needed the Massachusetts Gaming Commission to approve their design changes. On May 12, the gaming commission unanimously approved MGM’s new design plan. The approved plan is the same one the Springfield City Council signed off on earlier this year.
