Encore Boston Harbor officially opens to the public
The Massachusetts casino Encore Boston Harbor officially opened to the public on Sunday afternoon.
US.- The casino industry in Massachusetts just got bigger, as Encore Boston Harbor is now officially open to the public. The Everett casino opened for business on Sunday afternoon and thousands turned out for the event.
Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria, who was present during the grand opening, said: “When you drive through Everett, you’ll no longer smell gas and sulfur and oils, but you’ll smell flowers and trees. It’ll no longer be the back door to the city of Boston.”
The Wynn Resorts owned facility has become the most expensive private construction project in Massachusetts’ history. The US$2.6 billion casino received its first guests on Sunday after months of uncertainty surrounding the project’s future as the company’s founder received accusations of sexual misconduct. The Massachusetts Gaming Commission fined Wynn with US$35 million but allowed the casino to keep its license.
Wynn officials said that approximately 5,000 people were standing in line two hours after the resort opened. “We are very content with the attendance numbers and the overwhelmingly positive response we’ve received from guests,” a company spokesman said.
The facility features 3,158 slot machines, 143 table games and 88 poker tables. The hotel offers 671 rooms.
Cities will track the casino’s impact
Revere Mayor Brian M. Arrigo will form a commission to track the venue’s impact on the city. He wants specialists to control and report positive and negative results the casino will have in the area.
“So, the immediate concerns are obviously traffic and the traffic impact,” Mayor Brian Arrigo said. “What we’re focused on and what I’m trying to make sure people know is that we have their back, that this is happening.”
The Encore Boston Harbor could have switched hands as Wynn and MGM discussed a potential deal. They revealed the information and announced the transaction wouldn’t delay its opening.
