MGM Resorts is considering sale of Springfield casino
Performance has disappointed, firm’s CEO says
MGM Resorts International is exploring the sale of its casino operations in Springfield and at Ohio’s Northfield Park, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The company is working with financial advisers, but the discussions are preliminary and may not result in any action, said the people, who asked to not be identified as the information is confidential. A spokesperson for MGM declined to comment on the discussions.
MGM’s management has been frustrated with the company’s share price. The stock has climbed less than 5 percent over the past two years despite growth in sales and profit. The largest operator of casinos on the Las Vegas Strip has been looking to build out its exposure to online gambling in the United States and overseas.
MGM won the license to operate in Springfield after Massachusetts authorized casino gambling. The casino, which opened in 2018, has been something of a disappointment.
“Our original valuation of this market simply was off — full stop,” MGM chief executive Bill Hornbuckle told reporters after meeting with local officials last year. The property generated $278 million in gambling revenue in 2023.
MGM Northfield Park, a horse track that also has a casino, is located about 20 miles southeast of Cleveland. MGM took over management of the former Hard Rock property in 2019.
The real estate at both casinos is owned by Vici Properties Inc., a New York-based real estate investment trust that acquired MGM Growth Properties, MGM’s REIT affiliate, almost two years ago.
A Vici representative declined to comment on the sale talks.