MGM Grand at Foxwoods
Foxwoods, Connecticut
OWNER: Mashantucket Pequot Tribe
ARCHITECT/DESIGNER: Wilson & Associates
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR: Perini Building Corporation
COST: $700 million
Connecticut’s Foxwoods Resort Casino was already the largest casino complex in North America when it added its latest expansion. However, instead of adding once again to Foxwoods, the Mashantucket Pequot tribe decided to add a completely new hotel-casino, with its own distinct-and famous-brand.
The MGM Grand at Foxwoods includes its own valet entrance, upscale rooms and celebrity-chef restaurants. Its design, masterfully executed by Dallas-based Wilson & Associates, is dedicated to reflecting the surrounding beauty of the Connecticut woodlands. Connected to the main Foxwoods resort by a covered, moving walkway, the 30-story, two million-square-foot MGM Grand features an exterior wall of windows which, according to the designer, “brings the outside in.”
Inside, the entire property is upscale-a step up from the main Foxwoods resort. From guest rooms with panoramic views of the surrounding woods to the gold-trimmed casino floor, from the 4,000-seat MGM Grand Theater to the huge business/meeting spaces (the 115,000 square feet of premium meeting and function space includes a 50,000-square-foot ballroom that is the largest of any hotel in the Northeast), the design focuses on the finest materials to create a luxurious atmosphere.
“We are thrilled to introduce a new level of luxury and sophistication to visitors and residents of Connecticut alike with the opening of the MGM Grand at Foxwoods,” said Gillian Murphy, senior vice president and general manager of MGM Grand at Foxwoods, at the May opening. “The services and amenities are on par with MGM standards and the dining, gaming and nightlife scenes will catapult the property to incredible new heights in the worlds of hospitality and entertainment.”
Only 50,000 square feet of the two million is devoted to gaming, the elegantly designed casino including 1,400 slots and 53 tables. Non-gaming amenities include a 21,000-square-foot “G-Spa” by Boston-based entrepreneur Gretchen Monahan, and a lineup of upscale retail shops.
Finally, the new hotel features five restaurants, including Alta Strada by acclaimed chef Michael Scholow; a version of Tom Colicchio’s famous New York steakhouse Craftsteak; Shrine, which features a fusion of Asian cuisines; the Marketplace at MGM Grand, a casual dining outlet mixing distinct dining experiences of various European cities; and the first location outside of New York for Junior’s Restaurant, the landmark Brooklyn eatery.
