PUBLIC MEETING

This public hearing is intended to provide the Commission with the opportunity to pose questions to the applicant and address concerns relative to the proposal of Blue Tarp reDevelopment, LLC/MGM (“applicant”) to build a gaming establishment in Springfield, MA including the scope and quality of the proposed gaming area and amenities, the integration of the proposed gaming establishment into the surrounding community and the extent of required mitigation plans and receive input from members of the public from an impacted community.  A copy of the applicant’s application is available for review on the Commission’s website:  www.massgaming.com.  No votes or decisions will be made at this hearing; it is simply intended as an opportunity for the Commission to gather information and gauge public sentiment relative to the application.

The Commission will schedule a pre-hearing conference with the applicant approximately 7-10 days prior to the public hearing to advise the applicant of the issues that it may be required to address in the public hearing.

The chair will preside over this public hearing.  The applicant and its agents and representatives shall attend the public hearing, may make a presentation, and respond to questions as directed by the chair. Representatives of Springfield, representatives of the surrounding communities previously designated by the Commission, and representatives of the impacted live entertainment venues previously designated by the Commission may attend the public hearing, may make a presentation, and respond to questions as directed by the Chair.  Any other interested person may attend the public hearing and may make a presentation in the discretion of the Commission.

Those who wish to submit written comments in advance of the hearing may do so by sending an email to mgccomments@state.ma.us  with the name of the applicant in the subject line. All comments received via email will be made public in their entirety, including the identity of the commenter, and distributed to the Commission for their review prior to the hearing.

Public officials from a host or surrounding community, representatives of interested parties, and members of the host or surrounding communities who wish to address the Commission at the hearing may place their name on the list of speakers by sending an email to mgccomments@state.ma.us  with ‘Request to address the Commission/Blue Tarp reDevelopment” in the subject line.  Individuals will also have an opportunity to sign up to address the Commission on the day of the meeting prior to its start at MassMutual Center. In order to use the available time most efficiently, the Commission will limit each speaker to 5 minutes.

The following is the anticipated agenda for the public meeting:

• Call to order and introductory remarks by the chair
• Presentation by the applicant
• Commission questions to the Applicant
• Comments by representatives of the Host Community
• Comments by representatives of the Surrounding Communities
• Comments by representatives of Live Impacted Entertainment Venues
• Comments by members of the public
• Comments from the applicant
• Other business – reserved for matters the Chair did not reasonably anticipate at the time of posting.