Additional hearings have been scheduled to review the latest plans for the $950 million MGM Springfield casino.
The Springfield City Council, which has already held four hearings on the site plan for the resort casino, has scheduled two additional hearings later this month.
City Council President Mike Fenton said he’s been assured by MGM officials that the extended review will not hold up the construction of the casino which is scheduled to open in 2018.
" This hearing schedule the council is putting forward allows them ( MGM) to maintain that schedule," Fenton said.
MGM started demolishing buildings on the casino work site last month.
The council has approved zoning changes and permanent street closures to allow the casino site preparation work to continue.
The additional hearings deal with concerns about traffic and other issues raised by abutters and MGM’s proposal to eliminate a 25- story hotel from the project.
