Springfield Issues Permits to Utilities for Casino Site Work
SPRINGFIELD — Following months of design reviews and coordination meetings, the city is preparing for a significant amount of utility construction work to begin in and around the casino resort area in downtown Springfield. Beginning in the next few weeks, utility upgrades, expansions, and relocation work will begin on roadways surrounding the footprint for the casino resort, specifically Main Street, Union Street, East Columbus Avenue, and State Street.
The work is required to terminate existing utilities that currently serve buildings that are slated for demolition; reconstruct, upgrade, and relocate utilities surrounding the MGM Springfield development area to support the size and scale of the project; and perform necessary maintenance on the aged infrastructure to extend its life expectancy into the future to support the casino development and additional growth.
The Springfield DPW has issued numerous permits for utility disconnections and installation of project fencing. However, the department is preparing for a significant ramping up of construction activities through the spring and summer.
Christopher Cignoli, DPW director, noted that, “based upon our meeting with the MGM Springfield development team, its contractors, and all of the area utility companies, there will be a significant amount of work occurring in the next four to six months in and along Main Street, Union Street, East Columbus Avenue, and State Street. Our job is to coordinate all of the requests for work and attempt to minimize the impact to parking and traffic and to notify the public as much in advance as possible to seek alternate routes, if necessary. We also have to coordinate this utility work with any work proposed for the I-91 viaduct project, which is also scheduled to begin in the next few months.”
In order to provide the public with as much information as possible on the construction of the entire casino complex and associated construction work, the city will be launching an MGM Springfield casino-construction website, which will list all the permits issued by the city as well as issue weekly construction updates to notify residents and businesses of potential impacts.
