Welcome from New England, home to seven casinos and ten by 2020. November has a lot to offer after presenting great foliage.
Visit the websites of all seven casinos: Connecticut – Foxwoods Resort/Casino & Mohegan Sun Resort/Casino; Rhode Island – Newport Grand & Twin River Hotel/Casino; Massachusetts – Plainridge Park Casino & Raceway, MGM Springfield & Wynn Boston Harbor; Maine – Oxford Casino & Hollywood Bangor Hotel, Casino & Raceway.
News
Foxwoods Thrill Rides
Foxwoods added Thrill Tower at Foxwoods, which will include the Sky Drop and Sky Launch. These two rides were made by the same company that made the famous rides on top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. HighFlyer Zipline will open soon, and unveiled a new thrill ride for 2018 – “European-style” karting center, which casino officials say will be one of the longest and fastest go-kart tracks in the world, featuring “dramatic elevation changes and hairpin turns.”
Maine Referendum for 3rd Casino
After two years, over $6 million spent and amid an ongoing investigation by the Maine Ethics Commission into the campaign’s finances, Scott’s casino proposal will appear as Question 1 on Nov. 7. It is written to allow only one person, Shawn Scott, to apply for a permit to build a casino at an unspecified location in York County. Scott is an international gambling entrepreneur who won voter approval to add slot machines to Bangor’s struggling horse track in 2003, and turned around to sell those rights to Penn National for Hollywood Bangor is now at it again. A small voter turnout could decide if a York County casino would be built to compete with Wynn Boston Harbor and the exisating two casinos in Oxford & Bangor Maine.
Anticipation in Massachusetts
MGM Springfield is on schedule, or even ahead of schedule, to open September, 2018. The development will include a four-star luxury hotel with 250 guest rooms and 20 VIP suites, 45,000 square feet of meeting and convention space, a 7,000 square-foot spa, as well as 55,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space with multiple diverse food venues ranging from family buffets to MGM signature. MGM’s gaming program will include 3,000 slot machines, 100 gaming tables, a poker room and a high-limit VIP gaming area. Resort amenities will include an outdoor stage with free live entertainment, a state-of-the-art 20,000 sq ft bowling alley, a 50,000 sq ft movie cinema with 12 screens, casual as well as formal dining, and a wide variety of retailers offering everything from gourmet gifts to designer clothing.
In the East part of Massachusetts, Wynn Boston Harbor continues its progress for a 2019 opening. A 29-story tower with hotel room views of the Boston skyline will be just one of the many stylish touches Steve Wynn is known for. Wynn plans to put in an “ultra-premium” spa and a “state-of-the-art” ballroom that will rival the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in the city’s Seaport District. There will also be 13 restaurants, a six-acre park, open to the public, and “low-profile, European style” boats that will come in from Boston and dock there. Wynn officials say they expect thousands of people – 20,000 vehicles on a daily basis — to be coming in and out of the gambling facility on a daily basis.
Another Connecticut Casino in Bridgeport?
MGM Resorts International’s announced plans for a casino and hotel on the banks of the Yellow Mill River. MGM has offered plans to build a new casino with 2,000 slot machines, 160 table games, a 700-seat theater, a 300-room hotel, restaurants and retail shops, without legislative permission. MGM has committed to pay a $50 million licensing fee to the state if the project gets the green light. Bridgeport will get $8 million a year for hosting the casino to spend as it chooses, on top of whatever percentage of casino tax revenues it receives from the state. Unfortunately, another casino in Bridgeport will negate the 25-year old pact with the state of Connecticut for 25% of tribal slots revenue from Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, costing Connecticut almost 300 million yearly in tax revenue.
This would be the 4th CT casino, with the addition of the joint venture by the Pequots of Foxwoods and Mohegans in East Windsor, approved by the state legislature to compete with MGM’s Springfield casino (due to be completed by 2018).
Twin River Hotel Started at Lincoln, RI casino.
Twin River Casino broke ground on a $25-million hotel that’s expected to open in June 2018. The project is roughly seven months behind schedule, however due in part to the company’s plans to build a new casino and hotel in Tiverton and closing the Newport Grand.
Beer, Beer & More Beer
Beer, Beer & More BeerThe 2nd Annual “Foxwoods On Tap Craft Beer Festival” takes place at the Premier Ballroom, Fox Tower on November 11th, from 4-7. Tickets start at $35. All seven casinos offer local craft brews, most notably, COMIX at Mohegan Sun, the New Belgium Pub in the Mohegan Sun Racebook, The Grille at Newport Grand, Fox Tower bars at Foxwoods, Twin River’s Shipyard Brewpub, Flutie’s 22 at Plainridge park, and in Maine, Hollywood Hotel Casino in Bangor has added the 99 Hops House with 99 brews and great pub food. On Thursday, November 30th, 99 Hops House will feature Long Train, Otter Creek and Shed Breweries for a a Vermont Tap Takeover.
Stadium Gaming
Both Foxwoods & Mohegan Sun have included stadium gaming on the casino floor – Mohegan Sun for over a year now, a Foxwoods recently with the Play Arena. Both offer Blackjack, Roulette and Baccarat.
Foxwoods Rewards Gets Changes
Foxwoods is “tweaking its rewards club. Some changes include 6 months instead of 12 for tier expiration, elimination of the choice benefits, new point multipliers and rewards such as free slot play and hotel offers, but on specific days. If you are a member of Foxwoods rewards, and you haven’t received email or flyer describing your changes, get in touch with Foxwoods Marketing for your account.
Dining News / Thanksgiving Specials
In the last six months, New England’s casinos opened many new exciting options to please your palette. At Mohegan Sun, Sushi Kova opened, adding a Japanese cuisine option, and Jumbo Oriental, a full-service Asian restaurant offering delicious dishes from soup to seafood. Foxwoods has opened Sugar Factory and Guy Fieri’s Foxwoods Kitchen & Bar.
Thanksgiving Specials: Hollywood Bangor – Epic Thanksgiving Dinner Special Buffet, Oxford Casino – Thanksgiving Day Buffet,
Festival Buffet at Foxwoods, and the Seasons Buffet at Mohegan Sun
Hotel Deals Abound
Hollywood Bangor has one of the nicest hotels in the Bangor region. Comfortable rooms with a low resort fee, you can receive a 15% discount with 7 days or more purchase. Their Sweetheart Package is great for couples offered on Friday & Saturday nights. Also in Maine, Oxford Casino is opening it’s newly constructed hotel the third week of November. Rooms run from $149 – $179 before taxes. This marks two hotels including the Hampton Inn across the street. At Foxwoods, three hotel packages are available TWO OF HEARTS PACKAGE, TWO OF HEARTS PACKAGE and the TWO TREES & BREAKFAST PACKAGE.
Mohegan Sun offers Arena Packages that go with particular events in the Arena, such as an overnight stay at Mohegan Sun’s luxurious hotel, 2 tickets to see performance in Arena and $25 beverage comp to Taughannick Falls Bar. (example). These packages may differ, so contact with casino is crucial. The STAY MORE – SAVE MORE, with 10% off best rate for 3 night, and the PREFERRED SUITES OFFER for two nights or more and receive 20% OFF all also available.
Entertainment
Criss Angel’s Mindfreak Live! begins a short residency in the Fox Theater from November 2nd to December 17th. In cas you’ve never seen his show, it includes a cast of young talented specialty artists of magic and illusions, state-of-the-art animated LED lighting and RGB laser explosions, LED virtual worlds, 3-D immersive effects, pyrotechnic landscapes, live musicians/DJ, and much more.
The Wolf Den, Mohegan Sun – Located in the center of the action, in Casino of the Earth, offers full beverage service, a state-of-the-art sound system, intimate seating and top performances by headliners. The November lineup includes: Denis DeYoung and the Music of Stix (11/3); Skid Row (11/10), America (11/11); Lita Ford (11/18) and Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (11’26). For complete schedule, click HERE.
Hollywood Bangor now offers two venues for live weekend music – 99 Hops House & the Sound Stage. Click Here for schedule.
Newport Grand offers Free shows by Tribute bands every weekend. Click HERE for schedule.
Other Performance/ Events:
November 3rd – Evanescense at the Grand Theater, Foxwoods
November 3rd – Kiss the Sky & Heavy Cream: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix & Eric Clapton
November 4th – Imagine Dragons at Mohegan Sun Arena
November 4th – Jethro Tull at the Grand Theater, Foxwoods
November 5th – A Perfect Circle, Mohegan Sun Arena
November 10th – Sinbad at Fox Theater, Foxwoods
November 11th & 13th – Lady Gaga at Mohegan Sun Arena
November 18th – Tracy Morgan at the Fox Theater, Foxwoods
November 24th – Michael Carbonaro (two shows) at Fox Theater, Foxwoods
November 25th – Mike Birbiglia at Fox Theater, Foxwoods
November 26th – Trans Siberian Orchestra at Mohegan Sun Arena
Gambling Promos & Events
FOXWOODS – November’s Bingo Calendar at the largest Bingo Hall East of the Mississippi River at Foxwoods; Mini Mega Bingo, Sat. November 25th; Black Friday Special Poker Weekend Special, November 24-26
MOHEGAN SUN – Double Momentum & Status Points all day – November 10th. Triple Status Points all day – November 19th
NEWPORT GRAND – 5X Rewards Points every Tuesday in November. & $26,000 Free Play Sweepstakes, Mondays & Wednesdays from 2PM-8PM
NETimeGambling is a non-monetized blog created for my interest in gambling – its history and its evolution – the casino business, and my love for New England. Come share my passion and visit us.
Robin T. Aubin (Binbin) has been involved in music all his life, including 40 years of choral conducting, and performing professionally in different musical genres since he was 10 years of age. “Heck, I even performed in Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Foxwoods’ Atrium Lounge, and Twin River’s Lighthouse Bar & Lounge.” (All venues in New England casinos)
Twenty years ago casino gambling became a side interest. The business, the history, the expansion across the U.S., the myths, the superstitions and innovations of legalized gambling became a fascination. “It allows us to witness the best and worst of human nature and human interaction. This blog is the passion behind all of that.”
The goal was to provide a service and resource for anyone visiting New England’s expanding casino market.
“My biggest pet peeve is how gamblers refuse to look at the math & science involved in gambling. Myths and superstitions can be fun, humorous and sad all at one time. Preparation and understanding the reality of gambling will only improve your recreational gambling. Know what you are getting into – acceptance of the science involved, not the possible karma, is the key to all improving your recreational gambling fun.”
