State gambling regulators on Friday granted Encore Boston Harbor a temporary operating certificate to open its doors Sunday at 10 a.m. “MGM Springfield and Plainridge both saw its gaming revenue drop off, as much as 32 percent, in the months that followed their opening week.” “The question is whether or not Encore can sustain opening week numbers in the months ahead and for the long haul,” DeBole added. “Opening day will be really important for Encore, especially when you look at the successful opening week revenue numbers from Plainridge Park and MGM Springfield,” said Paul DeBole, a casino expert and Lassell College professor. The trick will be bottling the opening day buzz in the weeks to come, one casino watcher said. The 671 hotel rooms - starting at $645 and climbing to $5,000 a night - 11 restaurants, three bars, one nightclub, a Dunkin’ Donuts and a football-field-sized gaming floor packed with slots and tables is ready for high rollers. It’s been a long time coming for the Everett attraction after record fines, lawsuits, hearings and the shakeup of the Wynn Resorts leadership.
The doors to the $2.6 billion Encore Boston Harbor casino will swing open Sunday after the polished gaming mecca on the Mystic River was awarded a temporary operating certificate.
