24 ENCORE, ENCORE!
As Encore Boston Harbor prepares to open, Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox reflects on creating connections with a local community to build a global entertainment destination.
As Encore Boston Harbor prepares to open, Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox reflects on creating connections with a local community to build a global entertainment destination.
SIX YEARS AGO, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING FOR A NEW LOCATION FOR A RESORT, I made a trip to Everett, Massachusetts, located on the Mystic River and adjacent to Boston. The waterfront site had been home to a vast network of chemical, aircraft and paint manufacturers and had been inaccessible for more than a century—and deserted since 1983. Where others saw a blighted site whose once-abundant wildlife population had been silenced, I saw the possibility for Wynn Resorts to make something better and build something great. That’s why it’s incredibly gratifying to me that we’re now ready to open Encore Boston Harbor in June. When I first located this land, I met with members of the Everett community and found a progressive group of people who saw its potential, too. Our five-year environmental remediation included removing enough contaminated soil to fill Fenway Park and an ambitious plan to revive a living shoreline. We’ve facilitated the natural resurrection of the Mystic River, and from Encore Harborwalk, we’re now seeing the return of birds and fish to the area. When I first saw this site, I was president of Wynn Resorts, and I am proud to be opening Encore Boston Harbor as CEO. We’ve created a global entertainment destination that’s not just a
good neighbor, but a collaborative member of the community. More than 5,200 Massachusetts union trade workers have worked on our construction, and we have been hard at work recruiting 5.500 area employees to work in the resort. We’re excited to increase the profile of the hospitality industry as a career option in this area: we’ve partnered with Everett High School to create a culinary and marketing academy that will allow students to explore different opportunities in the hospitality industry. We’re also planning to develop an additional 30 acres across from our resort as an entertainment district. And we’re working with the state’s environmental groups and local transportation officials to connect Encore Boston Harbor with Somerville’s vibrant Assembly Square via a pedestrian bridge. Our Encore Harborwalk is a new system of pedestrian and bicycle trails that sits on a six-acre park, not only connecting our guests with the regional waterfront trail network and to our lounges and restaurants that sit right on the Mystic River, but also connecting our neighbors to our wealth of public art, an events lawn and other features that give the shoreline back to the public. Jessica Goldman, who opened Miami’s incredible Wynwood Walls, is working with us on monumental art for our public spaces. Fundamental to our company’s design ethos is the knowledge that color and plant life contribute to a sense of happiness. When you see vibrant color appear, you know that something special is happening—and it feels fun. When you visit us at Encore Boston Harbor, you’ll find the vibrant colors and lush landscaping reminiscent of The Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, Wynn Macau, and Wynn Palace, but with a distinctly local, New England flavor.
We look forward to introducing you to our new community.