What you need to know
- MGC awarded the resort-casino license in Region A (Eastern Massachusetts) to Wynn MA, LLC on September 17, 2014, after a competitive bidding process.
- The licensing fee is $85 million and requires a capital investment, to include a hotel facility, of at least $500 million. The Commonwealth receives 25% of gross gaming revenues.
- The MGC awarded a five-year Category 1 Sports Wagering Operator License to Wynn MA, LLC d/b/a Encore Boston Harbor on December 8, 2022; they received their operations certificate on January 31, 2023.
- The sports wagering operator licensing fee for a 5-year license is $5 million. Category 1 Sports Wagering Licensees are taxed on 15% of gross sports wagering revenue.
- Encore Boston Harbor resort-casino opened on June 23, 2019. Their sportsbook opened on January 31, 2023.
About the gaming establishment
Description from the Licensee:
Encore Boston Harbor is $2.6 billion project that includes a five-star resort with more than 600 hotel rooms, luxury spa, retail, dining, ballroom and meeting space. Situated on 33 acres along the Mystic River, the site allows for public enjoyment of the waterfront with paths that provide access to the harbor and retail and dining experiences that overlook the river walk. The resort generated more than 7,000 construction jobs. Encore Boston Harbor is the largest private single-phase construction project in the history of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
To learn more about Encore Boston Harbor, visit its website.
The Development*
| Status | Resort-casino opened on June 23, 2019. Sportsbook opened January 31, 2023. |
| Location | Everett |
| Capital investment | $2.6 billion |
| Pollution remediation / soil removal | $68 million in remediation and cleanup, plus an additional $14 million on landscaping Encore Harborwalk Park |
| Permanent Jobs | 3,395 (as of June 30, 2022) |
| Construction Jobs | 7,354 |
| Job Listings | Encore Boston Harbor Job Opportunities |
| Vendor Opportunities | Encore Boston Harbor Vendors |
| Diversity Plan | Design and Construction Phase |
| Workforce Development & Diversity Plan | Operations Phase |
| Tourism/Regional Marketing | Tourism/Regional Marketing Plan |
| Total on-site gross floor area | 3,112,153 ft2 |
| Hotel rooms | 671 |
| Retail | 7,776 ft2 (as of June 30, 2022) |
| Total parking spaces | 3,714 (2,914 on-site) |
| RFA-2 | Application | Attachments |
| Resort-Casino License Agreement | Agreement |
| SFEIR | Portions of filing | Instructions to complete filing |
| SSFEIR Certificate | Certificate |
| Section 61 Findings | Section 61 Findings | Second Amended Section 61 Findings |
| MGC Public Comment Draft Section 61 Findings | Draft 3.22.16 | Memo from MGC Consultants 3.22.16 |
| MassDOT Draft Section 61 Findings | Draft 3.22.16 |
| Sports Wagering Application Documents | Application | Final Licensing Decision |
About the Encore Boston Harbor Sportsbook
Encore Boston Harbor – legally known as Wynn MA, LLC – was awarded a Category 1 Sports Wagering Operator License during an MGC public meeting on December 8, 2022. Their operations certificate went into effect on January 31, 2023.
The sports wagering operator licensing fee is $5 million for Encore Boston Harbor’s five-year license. As a Category 1 Sports Wagering Licensee, they are taxed on 15% of gross sports wagering revenue.
The East of Broadway Development Proposal
Wynn MA, LLC has proposed to construct a project to be located on the east side of Broadway/Route 99 across the street from Encore Boston Harbor. “The Proposed Project is a multi-use development, which includes the construction of an approximately 20,000-gross-square-foot, two-story restaurant/retail building with an outdoor dining terrace, a 999-seat Events Center and associated pre-function space, an approximately 2,310 space parking garage, as well as a pedestrian bridge to cross Broadway (Route 99),” Wynn MA, LLC wrote in a memorandum on the proposed project.
The Gaming Commission, which must review the proposal to determine what, if any, jurisdiction it will exercise over the project, will hold a public hearing to provide an opportunity to any entity or member of the public interested in offering input and comment on the proposal to the Commission as part of its review.
Wynn MA, LLC provided the following documents to the Commission in its proposal of the construction project, which have been linked here for public review:
- Wynn MA LLC Brief for February 10, 2022 Meeting
- Wynn MA LLC Presentation for February 10, 2022 Meeting
- Wynn MA LLC Proposal for East of Broadway Development for Febuary 10, 2022 Meeting
Encore Boston Harbor Supplier Diversity Plan
As referenced by Massachusetts Gaming Commission Agreement to Award the Category 1 License In Region A to Wynn MA, LLC, Encore Boston Harbor is required to submit for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (“Commission”) review and approval plan(s) listed below within ninety (90) days of a request from the Commission. MGC staff submitted a request to Encore Boston Harbor on June 22, 2018 and subsequently received (now titled, EBH Supplier Diversity and Local Commitments Plan) Encore Boston Harbor’s Affirmative Action Program for Equal Opportunity – Goods & Services and plan for local vendors on September 21, 2018. The Plan was first presented to the Commission on October 4th and posted for public comment until 3:00 pm on Friday, October 19, 2019. The plan was approved by the Commission on Thursday, October 26, 2018.
An Affirmative Action Program for Equal Opportunity –Goods and Services for minority, women and veteran business enterprises identified in G.L. c.23K §21 (a)(21)(iii) for provision of goods and services procured by the Gaming Establishment. As per License Condition 11, the plan shall include a robust public events and outreach component to those businesses identified above.
In accordance with c. 23K §21, the Affirmative Marketing Program shall identify specific goals expressed as an overall program, goals applicable to the total dollar amount, or the value of contracts entered into for the utilization of: (i) minority business enterprises, (ii) women business enterprises and (iii) veteran business enterprises. The Affirmative Marketing Program shall enable minority, woman and veteran business enterprises to participate as vendors in the provision of goods and services procured by the gaming establishment and any businesses operated as part of the gaming establishment. Pursuant to License Condition 16, Encore Boston Harbor shall submit a Plan to Identify Local Vendors in conjunction with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission Vendor Advisory Team and any local grant awardee.