Connecticut Goes All In

Although Connecticut may be a relatively small state, it is huge when it comes to casino gaming. With Foxwoods Resort Casino and Mohegan Sun, there is no shortage of gaming resort excitement. There will be even more product coming online as Mohegan Sun is building a second resort, Earth Hotel, that is slated to open next fall.

The $120 million Earth Hotel will feature 400 deluxe guest rooms, an indoor pool and fitness center, and meeting space. It joins the 1,200 rooms that include over 170 suites at Mohegan Sun.

When planning meetings and incentives for Toyota salespeople based in the Northeast, Connie Bisnaw, sales/service training administrative specialist based in Mansfield, MA, often turns to Mohegan Sun for help.

"They do a wonderful job of coordinating all of one's needs. They have wonderful hotel rooms, and plenty of activities and eating spots to keep people busy," says Bisnaw. "Their conference rooms for events are beautifully arranged, and the staff does a great job fulfilling all of our needs."

Things are getting sweeter at Mohegan Sun where Buddy Valastro, star of the hit TLC series Cake Boss and Next Great Baker, opened his ninth location.

"I'm thrilled to bring Carlo's Bakery to Mohegan Sun," says Valastro. "This is a destination for fun and food, and we're happy to be a part of the famiglia."

Mohegan Sun is a major player in the meetings industry, as it has more than 100,000 square feet of flexible, high-tech meeting and function space. It includes the Uncas Ballroom with 38,000 square feet of space that is divisible into 10 separate meeting rooms, more than 30 conference and breakout rooms that can accommodate up to 5,300 people, over 14,000 square feet of pre-function space adjacent to the grand ballroom, and an outdoor sun terrace with 17,500 square feet of space. Steps from the hotel and convention center sits Mohegan Sun's 10,000-seat arena, which can be transformed into 30,000 square feet of exhibition space.

Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods are two mega-casinos, and they are only eight miles away from each other in southeastern Connecticut. Foxwoods Resort Casino has 340,000 square feet of gaming space, including 4,800 slots and 256 table games, 95 poker tables, high-stakes Bingo, Keno, and the Ultimate Race Book. The 8.6 million-square-foot resort complex is composed of six distinctive casinos, four hotels with over 2,230 guest rooms and suites, more than 30 dining experiences, two luxurious spas, a number of exclusive retail boutiques, two theaters, six nightclubs, a luxury bowling alley, and two award-winning golf courses. Add to those offerings 150,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space.

The restaurants at Foxwoods impress. There are more than 30, ranging from casual eateries to elegant sit-down restaurants. For the carnivores in the group, there is David Burke Prime, a contemporary steakhouse with meats handpicked from Creekstone Farms in Kentucky that are dry-aged on the premises in a salt-tiled aging room, and Cedars Restaurant where chefs use the best ingredients, including the finest steaks and freshest seafood, served in a contemporary environment.

For the true Italian connoisseurs in the group, Al Dente offers a unique presentation of Italian classic dishes. Blending the foods of Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and the Amalfi coast is Alta Strada. Red Lantern Restaurant and Lounge is an Asian restaurant and lounge featuring an open kitchen and full sushi counter. There are 66 lanterns hanging overhead, with the entrance marked by oversize, red ceremonial doors. Casual dining spots include California Pizza Kitchen, Hard Rock Café, and Junior's.

The Fox Tower is a $700
million upscale hotel-casino complex that adjoins Foxwoods by skywalk. Similar to Vegas-style properties, the Fox Tower's casino is relatively small. Its focus is on fine lodging, dining that includes outdoor areas, entertainment, an outdoor pool, and two floors of first-rate meeting space. The Fox Tower highlights include the 4,000-seat Grand Theater, 115,000 square feet of meeting space including a 50,000-square-foot column-free ballroom, the largest in the Northeast. Scenic garden vistas abound for outdoor events.

These resorts are just minutes away from the quaint seaport village of Mystic, and the world's largest Native American museum, the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, which is owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequots and is endorsed by the Smithsonian Institute.

The Hotel Group at Foxwoods Resort Casino has been certified as a Connecticut Green Lodging Facility and designated by AAA as an eco-friendly property. The Hotel Group includes the Fox Tower, Grand Pequot Tower, Great Cedar, and Two Trees Inn.

This certification has been granted by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and is a self-certification program based on accumulating points associated with environmental practices such as water conservation, energy usage, kitchen and utility, and property
initiatives.

"At Foxwoods, we take great pride in developing a 'green' business and are honored to receive this designation," says Jason Guyot, VP of resort operations and development, Foxwoods Resort Casino. "We will continue to implement safe environmental practices that improve our business and create a healthier environment for our guests and valued employees."

The resorts are just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from New York City, less than a two-hour drive from Boston, and within an hour of TF Green Airport outside of Providence and Bradley International Airport in Hartford.

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This article appears in the October 2015 issue of Successful Meetings.