Entertainment industry giant Hard Rock’s plans to build a resort casino in western Massachusetts have been rejected by voters in the small town of West Springfield.
By a lopsided margin of 55 to 45 percent voters Tuesday defeated Hard Rock’s proposal for an $800 million resort casino on the Big E fairgrounds. Ted Hebert, a member of a grassroots organization that worked to defeat the casino was thrilled.
Tim Maland, Hard Rock New England President said the company had no plans to try to put a casino somewhere else in Massachusetts
The outcome leaves MGM in Springfield and Mohegan Sun in Palmer to compete for the lone casino license authorized for western Massachusetts. Springfield voters have endorsed MGM’s plan. The Palmer vote is November 5th.
