MGM Springfield TR/review

Day One:

Offered free room and $160 fp so booked my stay. Plus my gf was coming so great romance to look forward too. Last minute her employer insisted she work so now im alone about to spend 4 hours on a train

Never been to Massachusetts so i googled distance from casino to Amtrak Union Station. Its just a few minutes so perfect. Booked my train for 1pm Penn Station to Union Station in Boston

Arrived at 5pm. Nice ride. Hopped in cab and said take me to the "new MGM casino"

I knew I was in trouble when i got a stare as if I was speaking Swahili. All cab drivers should be aware of a brand new billion dollar resort gambling complex just a few minutes away

Googling quickly showed my mistake. I should have checked distance from Amtrak to casino not casino to amtrak. I wasnt 10 minutes away in Springfield Union Station but 2 hours away in Boston Union Station

Ugghhhhh!

Direct trip would have been an hour shorter and $70 cheaper

Wasnt paying a couple hundred for a cab. Hopped out and walked a block to Greyhound. Got a $15.50 ticket to Springfield. With 2 stops in between it was only 10 minutes longer to get there and a heck of a lot cheaper than the cab ride from Boston

Arrived Springfield 8pm. 7 hours of travelling from midtown NYC. As some wheedling posters on here will point out I probably should have taken a helicopter

Hopped a cab from Springfield bus terminal and before I blinked I had arrived (the cabfare was $4)

Check-in was quick but they didnt have any kings left so in a double bed room all by my lonesome. Also be warned they take $150 per DAY incidentals so if you plan on a 10 day stay you will have to put $1500 into limbo. Its the same as Borgata but really annoying. Also $22 for resort fees per day!

Glass elevator doors made me dizzy (you watch as the walls inside the shaft zoom by. Tried turning around but the back mirrors reflecting the glass doors gave the same effect. Finally just stared at the floor) But they are nice elevators

In my room yayyyyy

It has a quaint victorian feel to it complete with tube looking lights reminiscent of old vic gas lights. This makes the room a bit dimmer than i prefer (i have slight night-blindness and require 100 watt bulbs and above to be comfortable) but thats a personal preference

My room


The walls have actual victorian-style novels ensconced on the walls. You can stick you nail between the pages but they are locked open and unmovable on the wall



The corner and window.


The gas-light victorian motif inside the room


Even the shower has that Old England feel


Overall very happy with look of the room.

Time to watch some Rachel Maddow. Just in time for her

Okay television remote turns on. Volume works. Cannot change the channel. No buttons on the TV

As a cosmic joke Im stuck watching Fox News while I wait for the service guy

Aaarrrgghhhhh!

Tomorror a look at the games and layout of the casino

UPDATE: Its NOT the remote. Its the TV

Missed Rachel. Over an hour and 3 technicians in my room and still cant get it fixed



UPDATE 2: Could not get tv fixed. They moved me to another room. Mysteriously they found a King size

Things that make you go hmmmm!

In my Kingsize bedroom with a working tv

No girlfriend but there is a man with a mustache for me to sleep with

Shows the advantage of always checking the casino's website for travel information. Location, outreach bus program, points of interest nearby, maps, etc. all from the casino's marketing program. Many have links to chamber of commerce type stuff too. Its a much better orientation than google or the like.

Springfield is in the middle of Massachusetts, and the STATE fire marshal is located there. The Boston fire marshal is in Boston. You are not the first person to have to deal with that. Decades ago some real swift hick cop near Cape Cod was making statements embarrassing to the Lieutenant Governor and they went to Springfield to get the Fire Marshal, sent him down to the Cape and he took sole jurisdiction of the case leaving the local hick cops totally out of the loop despite the fact that the crime had nothing to do with arson, fire or smoke at all.

Many hotels load up your credit card with charges that get erased once you check out so it can be a real pain for someone named fleastiff to have to deal with things like that. Quite some time ago I had to check into a hotel paying cash and they told me I could get a refund only thru their corporate offices so it would be six weeks to six months. (Took about eight weeks, I think).

Nice review. Looking forward to the rest. Are you worried you’ve given the casino enough info to connect you at their hotel with you handle here?

Nice review. Looking forward to the rest. Are you worried you’ve given the casino enough info to connect you at their hotel with you handle here?

Quote: unJon

Nice review. Looking forward to the rest. Are you worried you’ve given the casino enough info to connect you at their hotel with you handle here?

Not at all.

I know at least 20 casinos that have my picture on file. I have seen at least 2 APBs sent to casinos by state police (with the hilarious final paragraph stating at this time there are NO charges pending - when have you seen police warnings to be on the lookout for a guy NOT wanted for crimes) at least one casino has hours of surveillance on me and still has not trespassed me and I still walk thru and have an operation going there that I personally conduct

Even if they do turn off my account I use OTHER peoples players cards (and have people who can go in for me and there is always my mask)

So just what are they really gonna do that affects me? At this time I am pretty fearless

Quote: unJon

Nice review. Looking forward to the rest. Are you worried you’ve given the casino enough info to connect you at their hotel with you handle here?

This was a duplicate post so let me just add I have seen a lot of the surveillance and behind the scenes "dope" on me (some of it laughable such as one casino stating they observed me changing slot machines many times to alter my ratings - cashing out and changing slots does nothing for ratings lol - they are so certain I am doing something wrong everything I do including switching from one favorite game to another is part of my master plan to them) so I am privy to stuff they didnt want me to see due to discovery in more than one ongoing court action

The gas lighting motif from the room



MODS ATTENTION:

The above sentence and pic are part of my OP

I see it when editing and previewing the post (right avove the pic of the bathroom shower) but both the sentence and pic disappear from the original post

Programming issue? Never seen that before

UPDATE: fixed

Thanks to Chesterdog

Quote: darkoz

...
The above sentence and pic are part of my OP

I see it when editing and previewing the post (right avove the pic of the bathroom shower) but both the sentence and pic disappear from the original post

Programming issue? Never seen that before

In your original post, Img=http://imgur.com/zDlPgBk.jpg is enclosed with a "[" on the left but a ")" on the right.


If you edit the ")" to a "]", your gaslight picture should appear.

I hope you make enough from the slots to pay for all those lawyers or else make enough from the settlement agreements to enjoy the slots.

Duplicate. Seems witelesss connections are fickle on the commuter rail.

If you want to step out for a bite: Red Rose Pizzeria. A short walk. Btw, Boston South Station. Yuuuge navigational error!

Quote: FleaStiff

I hope you make enough from the slots to pay for all those lawyers or else make enough from the settlement agreements to enjoy the slots.

My total expenses on lawyers in 4 years has been under $5,000 and that was ancillary expenses like filings and process servers and other things the attorneys wanted me to cover

So yeah I make enough

It helps to find lawyers willing to take your case on contingency

Darkoz,

For someone running an operation with the breadth and mass of your current successful ventures, it doesn’t seem like 160 freeplay and a hotel room would be enough to get you out of bed in the morning, let alone take a series of busses for.

Quote: randomperson

Darkoz,

For someone running an operation with the breadth and mass of your current successful ventures, it doesn’t seem like 160 freeplay and a hotel room would be enough to get you out of bed in the morning, let alone take a series of busses for.

Don't question it. Just roll with it. He is scouting and plotting a total takedown of that joint with the broken TVs. He is going to get helicopter money, one day.😃

Amazing, love the vintage feel of this place...

Quote: BleedingChipsSlowly

Duplicate. Seems witelesss connections are fickle on the commuter rail.

MBTA? Fickle would be a nice way to put it. More like unusable.

I didn't realize this place was open yet, need to check it out soon. The design of the rooms looks pretty cool and unique!

Day 2: exploring

The complex is really huge but unlike Foxwoods its crammed into a very large city block

Rising in my room I'm parched. Perhaps in keeping with the Victorian motif there is no microwave AND no refrigerator. But there are USB ports and flatscreens (when they work)

One feature I have not seen before is a U.S. mail button


So if you are interested in pulling a Howard Hughes you can still have important documents mailed and delivered

The hotel hallways continue the Victorian motif with art deco sculptures






One warning: Try to get a room near the elevator otherwise you may find yourself walking all the way down this hallway


I sacrifice for you guys to take these pictures of the descending elevator thru the glass doors that makes me really dizzy







This is NOT part of the casino. Its actually directly across the street. Courthouse and police station! So if you are a gambling cheater you dont have to be concerned about a long ride to your court appearance


This IS part of the casino. Thats NOT the hotel. Thats the parking garage


This IS the exterior of the hotel. The parking garage is larger lol. While its a large complex the hotel is only 7 floors


Here is the view as you turn the corner to enter the complex from the main street (which I believe is coincidentally named Main Street)


Yes, you are seeing a castle!!!



Its actually an Armoury they didnt take down. They own it now and are turning it into a banquet hall

The casino gaming area entrance


A row of connected stores and outlets
As you see the outside continues that old architecture motif (ignoring a giant projection television)






Down this row are Tap sports bar, a bowling alley and arcade and golf.

Golf in the middle of a city block?

Indoor golf. Real clubs and ball, fake locations

Note the gas-light motif continued even here


There are comfortable chairs to lounge in here and a full bar in case you want to try swinging those golf clubs while seeing double


Prices are $60 per hour for up to 6 people. Thats per cubicle so a full complement of 6 people is only $10 per person. Pretty reasonable!

The bowling and arcade was closed for a special event so this is the best I could get of the interior


They also have a Regal Cinema but that doesnt open until Sept. 28th. The escalator to the theaters was guarded by security so couldnt snap off an image

If you lose all your money there are a few no fee amenities


2 hot days in August and I saw not one person at the pool


There is also a giant outdoors Chess and Checkers game with movable pieces the size of hubcap and a game board so large you can play hopscotch with the squares. The pieces are lightweight plastic - a 3 year old could lift them. I was about to photograph when a huge downpour hit and I ran for indoors

There is also an extensive reading library and lounge area


Thats in the hotel lobby!!!

Real books for your enjoyment




If you are one of the only two people on the planet interested in Applied Mycology circa the 1940' (that old English vibe again)


The casino itself is entirely non-smoking per Massachusetts law. If you intend to run outside and smoke in front of the lobby think again. You need to be at least 25 feet away from the walls and doors of the complex. So middle of the street for you smokers


Yes that is my reflection in the glass doors!

But notice how I MASK my appearance using sun glare and the signage

These are the techniques you must learn to be a Professional AP

Next post: the gaming area and table games coverage

I'm interested in the Pai Gow Tile situation if you get a chance to take a look at that.

Quote: TigerWu

I'm interested in the Pai Gow Tile situation if you get a chance to take a look at that.

I saw all their table games and they do not have Pai Gow tiles

FWIW, I think the hotel would say the interior is "Steampunk" decor, which is metallic gears, pipes, bars, etc. like you're seeing. Some Deco, some Victorian, but with a dark dystopian twist.

I could be wrong.

The exterior doesn't match that at all IMO. Is that maybe Massachusetts 18th century (as opposed to New England)? I haven't been up there enough to know, but the facade looks like some of Back Bay.

Thanks for the extensive site tour!

Quote: beachbumbabs

FWIW, I think the hotel would say the interior is "Steampunk" decor, which is metallic gears, pipes, bars, etc. like you're seeing. Some Deco, some Victorian, but with a dark dystopian twist.

I could be wrong.

You ain't never wrong.

Yes. Steampunk. A fusion of dystopian engineering, art, fashion and vaudeville. Sort of a celebration of the Edwardian era and that artist whose name I can never recall. Gorley something???

The one advantage is that steampunk celebrates the return of the Green Hour. So there will be girls wearing a large green earing (on one ear) a green choker at the neck from which dangles a tiny ornate silver spoon and green wrist cuffs. Its a celebration of absinthe, the one redeeming feature of the Steampunk movement.

Gentlemen wear spats and refer to their vests as 'waistcoats'. Metal horns abound, brass bicycles from the 1890s, and other useless junk is everywhere.

Mrs. Chips comment on the art deco wall lighting: "Looks like they forgot to put up the sheetrock."

MGM had to strike a compromise with the city of Springfield regarding retaining the historical architecture. As with most compromises, the result is imperfect. Thanks for posting, looking forward to what you have to say about the gaming.

Well, I honestly have to say I am 100% not a fan of this steampunk look they're going for. I think it would have been cooler if they just went for straight up traditional Victorian decor, or American colonialism, both of which would fit the area better than just steampunk. If I was going to be in the area anyway for some reason I might check this casino out, but for me personally it's definitely not a destination resort.

And I think it's not even the steampunk itself that's the problem... just going off those pictures it just doesn't look very well done at all.

While it has some of the look of steampunk its missing clocks and visible gears which is a very heavy steampunk aspect

Im not certain it qualifies then as steampunk

Also the actual victorian and other old age books on walls suggests to me an anachronistic hodgepodge of old memorabilia

Most of the live tables are geared towards Blackjack.

I didnt ask about rules like double down and splitting. I just took note of what was printed for all to see

There are 3 live tables sections. A very large one center of casino floor. A medium sized one off to one corner. And a small high roller section located in one of the two bars that straddle the gaming floor opposite each other

All of the Blackjack tables share the following:
Dealt from a shoe. No CSMs
No Mid-Shoe entry
To my untrained eye looks like 6 decks
Insurance offered
Has the In BETween bet (covered by Wizard)
$5 to wager
Has the Super 4 bet (covered by Wizard) however I believe its enhanced by something called Stax progressives so I will cover it in a separate post. The progressives were linked to all the denomination tables. They may make certain situations positive for play. Not certain about that
Also $5 to wager

The large gaming area in the center has 28 Blackjack tables organized in 4 rows of 7 each. Every table was open and had players on a weds night.
I believe there was one Craps table but this is almost strictly Blackjack

For this section:
$10-15 minimums.
Blackjack pays 6:5
Dealer HITS soft-seventeen

Medium sized section has following:
$25 minimum $3,000 max at Blackjack
Blackjack pays 3:2
Dealer STANDS on soft-seventeen

Also this area has other games

Roulette double zero and pretty standard

Craps. Pretty standard. Has all tall, all small, and make em all bets. Field pays only double for both 2 and 12

Baccarat - pretty standard. $25 or $50 minumum. They all had a side bet called Royal 9. I dont see any coverage of that on Wizards page so I will make a separate thread for it. It looks like a Baccarat version of the Super 4/Stax Progressives

Also one table only of each of the following:
Casino War
UTH
3-card Poker
4-card Poker
Chase the Flush Poker
Criss Cross Poker

And a big 6 wheel naturally

The high roller section had $100 minimum and $10,000 max bets. Otherwise it was the same as the medium sized section in terms of rules. I dont remember checking how many decks there sorry

There was no Paigow Tiles nor Paigow Poker. And no SicBo

I think I will make a separate thread for the Super 4 Stax Progressive

Next post looks at the slots, VP, (they have no Video Blackjack) and slots club

Also the slot vouchers that DONT KNOW when they expire. Interesting stuff. Dont miss it

Quote: darkoz

While it has some of the look of steampunk its missing clocks and visible gears which is a very heavy steampunk aspect

Im not certain it qualifies then as steampunk

I believe the song "Just Glue Some Gears On It (And Call It Steampunk)" may be relevant here...

The general ambiance just looks rather dark and dreary to me... and the exteriors aren't much better. Reminds me of a college, actually.

Quote: darkoz

Also the actual victorian and other old age books on walls suggests to me an anachronistic hodgepodge of old memorabilia

They don't want to make it true Steampunk or they would get a very limited crowd and would have to have zillions of games lying around. The only games they really want you to play are the ones in the casino.

A good many casinos seem to have the two separate blackjack pits: 3:2 for one and 6:5 for the other. Here in Florida the table limits, noise levels and seating density make it easy to realize the difference.

Nice review so far. Looking forward to the rest.

Quote: darkoz

There was no Paigow Tiles nor Paigow Poker.

That's really odd they don't have either one, considering Tiles is popular in the North East, and PGP is popular pretty much everywhere.

They still have "Pai Gow" listed on their website.... I wonder if that's a mistake or they plan on having it eventually??

This is my final post review segment

I decided to walk around the casino floor to get an idea of how large it was

First thing I noticed was all the security guards were wearing Jewish Stars of David as their shields. I didnt think they would be keen to allowing me to photograph their shields so I found this image from the internet

Yes its a Jewish religious symbol


Something tells me the police in Massachusetts dont know this

At any rate I purchased a 99 cent bag of Doritos($2.50 at casino prices) and began my sojourn

I had finished the entire bag about 3/4 of the complete circuit of the gaming floor so its pretty large (yes I know I could have used a watch to time it but this is more visual -- plus I wanted an excuse to buy Doritos)

The players club was not to crowded. Note that you can skip the line if you already have an M-Life card. Mine worked fine including PIN when using FP.

To download FP at the slot insert your players card and push the FP button and enter your pin. That will show you how much you have but it is not available until you push the "activate" icon. That activates it at that machine but you now need cash in the machine to play it. Your cash is deducted each spin and reimbursed from the FP after each spin

This really slows down the spins. If you button-mash you will have to be very patient on freeplay

Slot points were $3 each

I measured VP and its $12.50 per point. There was no Video Blackjack

Most of the VP machines are bartop although there were a few gamekings scattered about.

Also Note slot points are not the same as tier points. When I checked at the kiosk I had earned roughly double the tier points as slot points. Its 25,000 tier points to next card level so dont make the mistake of trying to earn 25,000 slot points. You only need 12,500 roughly (it wasnt an exact doubling but pretty close)

So now we come to the slot vouchers. This was just big in one thread so interesting stuff here

On top it says voucher expires in one year
On bottom it says must be redeemed within 109 days


Huh?

Thinking it was just a particular machine I checked another and the verbiage on the bottom was even more ominous



And from a 3rd machine


I questioned a slot attendant who had no idea about the discrepancy. He called the slot manager... who had no idea about the discrepancy who then called a higher-up in slots management... who also had no idea about the discrepancy.

They were very helpful and concerned but they finally said it would be investigated. They also werent sure which was the correct date for expiration (I was)

My take: when you enter the casino every entrance has your usual gambling regs sign (no one under 21, etc) and on that sign it clearly says "All gambling vouchers expire in one year"

Surprised the employees didnt know that. Im certain thats correct as its stated as a gambling regulation. I can only imagine the havoc to be caused with a bunch of expired vouchers that now need to be validated by law. Drich can postulate on how this will affect their accounting

They probably have been printing out incorrect expiration dates since they opened in August. Took all of 5 minutes for me to see it. SHM. Just SMH.

After gambling I had some comp dollars so went to use at their Essentials store. Tried to purchase a Hershey Bar and Pepsi. Only to be told comp dollars may onlybe used for merchandise with the MGM logo like clothes

Wow, really? My comps which I earned are now to only serve as turning me into a free advertisement for you?

I didnt want an MGM shirt. What I wanted was a Hershey bar and a Pepsi

I wound up using my comp dollars at the chinese food outlet. Delicious Pad Thai

Thankfully they didnt require my Pad Thai to have an MGM logo on it

Here's my theory about the expiration date discrepancy:

109 days from Sept. 6 is December 24th. 100 days back from December 24th is September 15th.

My theory is that when the casino opened on August 24th, for some reason they just set the machines to start counting the 100 days from the start of the next accounting "window," and then proceed normally from there on out.

So, Sept. 5th tickets would have read 110 days, Sept. 4th, 111 days, and so on. Every ticket from the 15th onward would all be 100 days, since the system would kick in normally on that date.

Also, the sheriff badge thing is not unusual. Tons of sheriff's departments use a six pointed star. Some use five, and some use seven. It's not an exclusive symbol to Judaism. Specifically it's a hexagram.